Notes on the Sardinian endemic Tenuiphantes sardous (Gozo, 1908) n. comb. (Araneae: Linyphiidae)

Abstract

Knowledge on Sardinian cave spiders started with Angela Gozo’s 1908 description of the female of Lepthyphantes sardous. Because Gozo’s original specimens appear to be lost, we visited Gozo’s type location (Su Marmuri cave, Ogliastra, Sardinia) in an effort to find the as yet unknown male and to collect topotypic specimens on which a new diagnosis and a possible revision of the taxonomic position of the species could be based. Both efforts were successful and the results are given below. Our finding of the unknown male now allows the placement of this species within the genus Tenuiphantes Saaristo & Tanasevitch, 1996. Specimens of Tenuiphantes sardous (Gozo, 1908) n. comb. have been collected on the cave ground, among rocks in areas mostly covered with guano. In lack of proper troglomorphic traits we regard the species as troglophile. As far as the distribution is concerned, the species is currently known exclusively for the type locality. However, the troglophile habit and the general lack of arachnological prospections in Sardinian caves suggests a wider distribution on the island.