Different, but still the same: integrative taxonomy confirms a new species of Eresus Walckenaer, 1805 (Araneae, Eresidae) from the South Caucasus

: Zamani, Alireza; Seropian, Armen; Zarikian, Noushig; Bulbulashvili, Natalia; Szűts, Tamás

Publisher: Pensoft Publishers

: 2025

: ZooKeys

: 1249

: 1

: 13

: 1313-2989

: 1313-2970

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1249.159081

: https://zookeys.pensoft.net/article/159081/list/8/

: https://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/499232564

This study represents the first step toward a systematic revision of the velvet spider genus Eresus Walckenaer, 1805 in the Caucasus. Here, Eresus transcaucasicus sp. nov. is described using an integrative approach, based on male specimens collected from the South Caucasus. The species was previously reported as E. kollari Rossi, 1846 from Armenia and as Eresus sp. from Georgia. Intraspecific variations in both coloration patterns and conductor shape, which have been rarely documented in this genus, are illustrated. The validity of previous records of E. kollari in the region is discussed.

Zamani et al. (2025) Different, but still the same integrative taxonomy confirms a new species of Eresus Walckenaer, 1805 (Araneae, Eresidae) from the South Caucasus.pdf

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The research was supported by the Higher Education and Science Committee of MESCS RA (research project no. 24WS-1F017) and the strategic research fund of the University of Veterinary Medicine Budapest (grant no. SRF-002). The research of Armen Seropian and Natalia Bulbulashvili was partly supported by the Caucasus Barcode of Life (CaBOL) project funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (grant no. 01DK20014A).