Piniphantes Saaristo & Tanasevitch 1996

PINIPHANTES ?

Many species remain catalogued (World Spider Catalog 2018) in the genus Lepthyphantes (sensu Menge, 1866). Among them are several spiders captured in caves and hollows in the mountainous areas of Morocco and Algeria (Denis & Dresco 1957; Brignoli 1978; Tanasevitch 2014). Some authors (Bosmans 1985) have attempted to bring them within some morphological proximity to Piniphantes pinicola (Simon, 1884) so they would be candidates for inclusion in the genus Piniphantes Saaristo & Tanasevitch, 1996. However, these confounding groups of Moroccan and Algerian spiders also have common characteristics, suggesting a close relationship (Bosmans 2006; Tanasevitch 2014). These comments apply mainly to L. aelleni and other Atlas species such as L. maurusius and L. taza. The males of these two former species were not known (the one of the first remains unpublished). However, the morphology of the epigyne displays a few traits that can be valued as key elements of a possible relationship, such as the length of the basal structure, the elongation of its walls (anterior, lateral and posterior) which carry the bursa copulatrix, the location of the scape to a distal position, and finally the considerable reduction of the scape (comparable with the scape of other groups of Lepthyphantes).

Among the material that we have analysed and consider novel is a male of L. taza and females of L. almoravidus Barrientos n. sp. and L. imazigheni Barrientos n. sp. (albeit unfortunately unaccompanied by corresponding males). The comparative morphology of L. aelleni and L. taza males give support to a close relationship in both the structure of the paracymbium, and the form of the lamella characteristica and the rest of the structures of the embolic division. Both clearly differ for the same structures with Piniphantes pinicola, as well as the diagnostic features of this genus.

In our opinion L. aelleni, L. maurusius, L. taza, L. almoravidus Barrientos n. sp. and L. imazigheni Barrientos n. sp. are possibly related due to the structure of their male and female genitalia. Therefore, these species could be integrated into a natural group, incorporated geographically in the high Mo- roccan Atlas. Lepthyphantes ajoti Bosmans, 1991 and L. exvaginatus Deeleman, 1984, perhaps could be added to this group (Bosmans 2006) although we were unable to examine specimens of these two species.