Taxonomic notes on two sibling species of Metellina from Asia (Araneae, Tetragnathidae)

: Ozkutuk RS, Marusik YM, Kunt KB, Elverici M

Publisher: PENSOFT PUBL

: 2017

: ZooKeys

: ZOOKEYS

: 695

: 75

: 88

: 14

: 1313-2989

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.695.13611

Two sibling species, Metellina orientalis (Spassky, 1932) and M. kirgisica (Bakhvalov, 1974), occurring in the Middle East and Central Asia are redescribed and their distributions mapped. The previously unknown male of M. kirgisica is described for the first time. Stridulatory files on male chelicera of Metellina are also documented for the first time. The occurrence of M. kirgisica in Azerbaijan and Tajikistan and the presence of M. orientalis in Turkey are confirmed.