The pholcid spiders of Tunisia (Araneae: Pholcidae): new species, new records, and deep COI divergence in Holocnemus reini

Posted by

 


The pholcid spiders of Tunisia (Araneae: Pholcidae): new species, new records, and deep COI divergence in Holocnemus reini

Abstract

Tunisia features a rapid transition between Mediterranean and Saharan biogeographical zones, resulting in a high degree of environmental heterogeneity. Despite this ecological diversity, Tunisian spiders have received limited attention compared to those of neighboring Maghreb countries. Here we combine the results of recent collections in Tunisia focusing on Pholcidae with a comprehensive review of previously published information, resulting in a total of six genera and eleven species. We present first records of the genera Micropholcus Deeleman-Reinhold & Prinsen, 1987 and Spermophorides Wunderlich, 1992 for Tunisia, represented by four new species: M. kahinae Huber sp. nov., M. echebbii Huber sp. nov., S. nabilae Huber & Kmira sp. nov., S. bchirae Huber sp. nov.; in addition, we redescribe S. huberti (Senglet, 1973) from Tunisian specimens, describe the previously unknown female of Pholcus genuiformis Wunderlich, 1995, provide new records for species previously documented for Tunisia, and provide a key to the Pholcidae genera of Tunisia. We analyze previously published and newly generated CO1 barcodes of Tunisian pholcids and of putatively closely related taxa and document deep genetic divergence between Moroccan and Tunisian specimens of Holocnemus reini (C. Koch, 1873) (up to 17%). We discuss the apparent correlation between arid environments and higher than usual intraspecific genetic distances. Such environments are often characterized by fragmentation, habitat isolation, and harsh conditions, and these factors may promote rapid genetic divergence, especially in poor dispersers.

Huber, B.A., Meng, G. & Kmira, G. (2026) The pholcid spiders of Tunisia (Araneae: Pholcidae): new species, new records, and deep COI divergence in Holocnemus reini. Zootaxa, 5881 (1), 1–46. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5881.1.1