'Burning Violin': The Medically Important Spider Genus Loxosceles (Araneae: Sicariidae) in Iran, Turkmenistan, and Afghanistan, With Two New Species

: Zamani A, Mirshamsi O, Marusik YM

Publisher: Oxford University Press

: 2021

: Journal of Medical Entomology

: Journal of medical entomology

: J Med Entomol

: tjaa257

: 0022-2585

: 1938-2928

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/jme/tjaa257

The taxonomic status of the medically important spider genus Loxosceles Heineken et Lowe, 1832 (Sicariidae) in Iran, Turkmenistan, and Afghanistan is revised. Two species are described as new to science: Loxosceles coheni sp. n. (♂♀, southwestern Iran) and Loxosceles turanensis sp. n. (♂♀, southern Turkmenistan and eastern Iran). Additionally, Loxosceles alicea Gertsch, 1967 syn. n. (♀, Peru) is synonymized with Loxosceles rufescens (Dufour, 1820). The local distribution of all treated species is mapped (including several new records), and reported cases of loxoscelism from this region are briefly reviewed.