Eratigena mirusha Geci, Naumova & Ibrahimi 2025, sp. nov.

Eratigena mirusha sp. nov. Geci, Naumova & Ibrahimi (Figs 1–11, 16–19) Type material. Holotype ♂ (UP), Kosovo: Koznik Mountain, Panorc village (N 42.489939, E 20.616391, 582 m a.s.l.), rocky meadow, 5.07.2020, D. Geci, A. Bilalli & M. Musliu leg. Paratypes: 1♂ (IBER), same data as for the holotype; 8♀♀ (UP) [OQ866234 – OQ866238], 2 ♀♀ (IBER), same data as for the holotype, 14.02.2022, D. Geci, A. Bilalli & M. Musliu leg. Etymology: Species epithet ‘mirusha’ refers to the name of the area where the new species was found. The area is known for the Mirusha Waterfalls on the Mirusha River. Diagnosis. Eratigena mirusha sp. nov. is similar to E. agrestis. Males differ in exhibiting: terminal end of conductor V-shaped with additional rectangular retrolateral process (Figs 1, 9) vs. bifurcate with parallel tips in E. agrestis (Fig. 13); 2) short retrolateral tibial apophysis with finger-shape apical process and smooth distal margin in retrolateral view (Figs 2, 10) vs. massive rectangular retrolateral tibial apophysis with serrated apical margin in E. agrestis (Fig. 14) and 3) concave, hook-shaped dorsal branch of tibial apophysis in dorsal view (Fig. 11) vs. straight, serrated dorsal branch of tibial apophysis in dorsal view in E. agrestis (Fig. 15). Females differ by the following characters: 1) rounded-rhomboid posterior sclerite with large posterior bulge and pseudo teeth located caudally (Figs 1, 3, 16, 17, 19) vs. elongated posterior sclerite with small bulge and pseudo teeth located ventrally in E. agrestis (Fig. 20, 32);2) copulatory openings directed posteromedially (Fig. 16) vs. directed posterolaterally in E. agrestis (Fig. 20). Description. Male (holotype). Habitus as in Figs 4–5. Total length 7.83. Carapace 4.10 long, 3.14 wide; head region 2.28 long, 1.59 wide; labium 0.55 long, 0.59 wide. Eyes size and interdistances AME 0.14, ALE 0.10, PME 0.18, PLE 0.18, AME–AME 0.17, AME–ALE 0.16, PME–PME 0.09, PME–PLE 0.07, AME–PME 0.06, ALE–PLE 0.03. Abdomen 3.78 long, 2.41 wide. Legs: I (Fe 4.28, Pa 1.14, Ti 4.32, Mt 3.87, Ta 2.46); II (Fe 3.19, Pa 1.14, Ti 2.32, Mt 3.19, Ta 2.05); III (Fe 3.46, Pa 1.14, Ti 2.41, Mt 3.46, Ta 1.77); IV (Fe 4.50, Pa 1.09, Ti 3.41, Mt 4.82, Ta 2.14). Leg spination: coxae spineless; leg I (Fe 3d 2pl 2rl, Pa 0, Ti 8v, Mt 8 v, Ta 0), leg II (Fe 3d 2pl 2rl, Pa 0, Ti 8v, Mt 8 v, Ta 0), leg III (Fe 3d 2pl 2rl, Pa 1d, Ti 6v, Mt 6d 8 v, Ta 6v), leg IV (Fe 2d, Pa 1d, Ti 6d 6v, Mt 12d 10v, Ta 6v). Coloration (in 90% alcohol) (Figs 4–5): carapace light brown, marbled, with dark brown margins and two pale lateral longitudinal bands. Sternum with light median band and pale spots toward coxae. Coxae greyish with pale stripes. Legs uniformly pale brown. Abdomen and spinnerets greyish yellow with an indistinct pattern. Palp (Figs 1–2, 8–11): Femur 4× longer than wide, ventrally with long white setae; patella robust; tibia 1.5× longer than wide, with relatively small complex retro-tibial apophysis; RTA with two branches, ventral branch simple, lateral branch with a process in the apical part, with concave dorsal margin in retrolateral and dorsal views; cymbium 2× longer than wide with pointed tip occupying almost 1/4 of it; conductor with bifurcate, V-shaped tip and shorter, broader retro-dorsal process, apically truncated. Female (N=10): Habitus as in Figs 6–7. Total length 10.15–12.85; carapace 4.40–5.30 long, 3.20–4.20 wide; head region 3.48–3.61 long, 2.09–2.18 wide; labium 0.81–0.83 long, 0.83–0.85 wide. Eyes size and interdistances AME 0.17–0.19, ALE 0.17–0.19, PME 0.20–0.22, PLE 0.24–0.26, AME–AME 0.20–0.22, AME–ALE 0.13, PME– PME 0.11, PME–PLE 0.07, AME–PME 0.11, ALE–PLE 0.05. Abdomen 5.80–7.60 long, 3.20–4.50 wide. Legs: I (Fe 5.60–6.00, Pa 1.90–2.10, Ti 4.70–5.40, Mt 5.00–5.80, Ta 3.70–4.00); II (Fe 4.20–6.00, Pa 2.00–2.80, Ti 3.20– 4.80, Mt 3.40–4.80, Ta 2.20–2.40); III (Fe 5.20–6.40, Pa 1.37–1.92, Ti 4.30–4.70, Mt 3.32–4.60, Ta 2.22–3.48); IV (Fe 4.00–4.60, Pa 1.70–1.90, Ti 3.20–3.90, Mt 2.80–3.43, Ta 2.50–3.20). Leg spination as in males. Coloration (in 90% alcohol) (Figs 6–7): Carapace, sternum and coxae as in males but more contrasting; legs uniformly pale brown; opisthosoma yellow brownish with pale zigzag cardiac mark; spinnerets yellow-brownish. Epigyne (Fig. 3, 16, 17): Medially with anterior cavity; posterior sclerite rounded-rhomboid with large posterior bulge, copulatory openings directed posteromedially; epigynal pseudo teeth almost transparent and poorly visible, located caudally (Figs 3, 16, 17, 19). Vulva (Figs 17–19): Receptacles 2.5× longer than wide, elongated, almost parallel; copulatory ducts rounded, lying behind the receptacles in dorsal view; fertilization ducts thin, slightly curved, directed medially-backward. Ecology. Eratigena mirusha sp. nov. was found in an open meadow with several temporary streams. The habitat is dry in the summer and very wet during the rest of the year. Eratigena mirusha sp. nov. was found in sympatry with Tegenaria hasperi Chyzer, Uroctea durandi (Latreille), Philaeus chrysops (Poda) and Segestria senoculata (Linnaeus). Adult males were found in July. Adult females were found in February and July. Genetics According to blast search, our newly generated COI barcoding sequences of Tegenaria collected in Kosovo are clearly assigned to known sequences of the species T. hasperi (E-value = 0.0; identity = 99.82%). Furthermore, one of the seven Eratigena specimens collected in Mitrovica (E8_ COI _JJ2) was assigned to E. agrestis (E-value = 0.0; identity = 98.38%). However, the other six newly sequenced Eratigena specimens from Panorc in Kosovo yielded only 94.25% identity (E-value = 0.0) with E. agrestis. This is also supported by net-between mean group distances shown in Table 1. Eratigena mirusha sp. nov. is most closely related to E. agrestis, as indicated by both a sister group relationship in the phylogenetic tree (Fig. 24) and the smallest pairwise net-between mean group distance (dist. = 6.07%). Comparative material. Eratigena agrestis 1 ♂ (UP) [OQ866239], Kosovo: Mitorvicë, Shipol (N 42.868678, E 20.859286, 545 m a.s.l.), 29.07.2020, D. Geci leg.; 1 ♂ (IBER), Bulgaria: Shegava Canyon, (N 42.396800, E 22.721800, 580 m a.s.l.), 12.08– 12.09.2024, M. Naumova leg; 1 ♀ (IBER), Bulgaria: Sofia (N 42.67888, E 23.36991, 550 m a.s.l.), 02.10.2024, V. Vassilev leg.; Tegenaria hasperi Chyzer, 1897 2 ♀♀ (UP) [T1_CO1_JJ2, T4_CO1_JJ2], Kosovo: Panorcë, Malishevë (42.487957, 20.6170786), 17.05.2022, M. Musliu, A. Bilalli & D. Geci leg.; 2 ♀♀ (UP) [T6_CO1_JJ2, T7_CO1_JJ2], ditto, 24.07.2021, M. Musliu, A. Bilalli & D. Geci leg.