Lachesana gavishae Shafaie & Pekar 2025, sp. nov.

Lachesana gavishae Shafaie & Pekár sp. nov. urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: E314B50D-8742-4003-BC4B-13F516A87F71 Figs 1–3, 106; Tables 1–2 Diagnosis The male of L. gavishae sp. nov. resembles those of L. perseus Zamani & Marusik, 2021 in the general shape of the retrolateral tibial apophysis, and L. insensibilis Jocqué, 1991 in the bulb details and the mesoproximal spines on the cymbium. However, the new species can be distinguished from the former species by (1) the presence of spines on the mesoproximal part of cymbium (vs absent, cf. Fig. 2 A, D and Zamani & Marusik 2021: fig. 3h, j); and (2) the uniformly pale and patternless abdomen (vs with distinct pattern, cf. Fig. 1 A and Zamani & Marusik 2021: fig. 1e). The new species can be distinguished from L. insensibilis by having at least 1.5 times as many spines on each leg (e.g., leg IV, 53 in L. gavishae vs 20 in L. insensibilis) and the absence of a scutum (Fig. 1A). In addition, the new species might be distinguished from all other species of Lachesana by the smallest body size (7.8 mm vs <9.8 mm) and by the retrolateral tibial apophysis with a rather short and pointed tip (Fig. 2C, G). The female can be distinguished from those of other congeners by a heart-shaped epigynal plate with large lobes that are strongly chitinized anterolaterally (Fig. 3A, C) (vs not heart-shaped), as well as by a unique form of spermathecae, comprising a slightly divergent, upward-sloping straight spermathecal stalk ending in a convergent, globular spermathecal head (vs a cylindrical head in L. rufiventris Simon, 1873; exclusively divergent in L. tarabaevi Zonstein & Ovtchinnikov, 1999; cf. Fig. 3B, and Levy 1990: fig. 19 and Zonstein & Ovtchinnikov 1990: fig. 4, respectively). Etymology The new species is named in honor of our Israeli colleague, Efrat Gavish-Regev. Type material Holotype ISRAEL • ♂; Negev Desert, Mashabim; 31.007° N, 34.739° E; 27–30 Mar. 2007; S. Pekár and S. Hénriques leg.; sand; HUJINV-Ar 21312. Paratypes ISRAEL • 2 ♀♀; same collection data as for holotype; 20 Mar. 2007; HUJINV-Ar 21313, HUJINV-Ar 21314. Other material examined ISRAEL • 1 ♀, 9 juv.; same collection data as for paratypes; CMU • 1 juv.; same collection data as for paratypes; 27–30 Mar. 2007; S. Pekár and S. Hénriques leg.; CMU • 3 juv.; same collection data as for paratypes.; 4 Apr. 2009; J. Král leg.; CMU. Description Male HABITUS (Fig. 1A–B, E–F). Carapace yellow; chelicerae, mouthparts, sternum, and spinnerets pale; labium arrow-shaped and considerably longer than wide; gnathocoxae 1.5 times as long as labium. Chelicerae mesally densely covered with brown setae. Legs entirely dirty yellow except for ventrally pale coxae; legs with 214 spines (Table 1). Abdomen dirty yellow on both sides, without scutum. MEASUREMENTS. Total length 7.85; carapace 4.4 long, 2 wide at pars cephalica, 3.15 wide at pars thoracica. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME: 0.19, ALE: 0.12, PME: 0.15, PLE: 0.17, AME–AME: 0.04, AME– ALE: 0.06, ALE–ALE: 0.37, PME–PME: 0.06, PME–PLE: 0.19. Legs: I 13.55 (4.25, 1.56, 3.12, 2.81, 1.81), II 14.68 (3.81, 1.5, 3.06, 4.06, 2.25), III 13.33 (4.06, 0.09, 1.94, 4.87, 2.37), IV 16.47 (4.68, 1.75, 2.93, 5.68, 1.43). Palp: 4.1 (1.6, 0.7, 0.5, 1.3). PALP (Fig. 2A–G). RTA distally oblique, both pro/retrolateral edges parallel, dorsal part tapering bladelike; RTA about 0.6 times as long as tibia, widest part over 3 times as wide as stalk. Cymbium with spines on mesoproximal side; bulb 1.5 times as long as wide. Embolus filamentous, embolar base large, about half the length of tegulum. Female (paratype HUJINV-Ar 21313) HABITUS (Fig. 1C–D). Carapace yellow anteriorly, pale posteriorly; chelicerae yellowish-orange covered by black setae. Mouthparts, sternum and abdomen similar to those in male; gnathocoxae triangular shield-shaped, yellow proximally and pale distally. Carapace and abdomen without pattern. Spinnerets pale proximally and dirty yellow distally. Legs entirely yellow, with 97 spines (Table 2). MEASUREMENTS. Total length 10.95; carapace 5.4 long, 2.4 wide at pars cephalica, 3.52 wide at pars thoracica. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME: 0.15, ALE: 0.12, PME: 0.12, PLE: 0.13, AME–AME: 0.06, AME–ALE: 0.09, ALE–ALE: 0.46, PME–PME: 0.09, PME–PLE: 0.34. Legs: I 12.8 (4.1, 1.9, 2.9, 2.4, 1.5), II 12.5 (4.7, 1.8, 2.1, 2.5, 1.4), III 11.3 (3.3, 1.8, 1.5, 3, 1.7), IV 14.1 (3.9, 1.8, 2.5, 3.9, 2). EPIGYNE (Fig. 3A–D). Epigynal plate about 1.3 times as wide as long, including heart-shaped plate, both large lobes darkly chitinized anterolaterally; two divergent copulatory ducts extended laterally. Anterior pockets strongly sinuous, touching each other. Spermathecae situated along epigynal plate and confining edges of epigynal pockets, including rather long, divergent, upward-sloping straight spermathecal stalks ending in globular and convergent spermathecal heads; spermathecal heads separated by about their diameter. Size variation Total body length 10.95–13.77, carapace length/width 5.4–6.87/ 2.4–3.5 in females (N=3). Distribution The species is currently only known from the type locality in Israel.