Araneae), including the description of five new species

Abstract

As a result of an examination of a small, recent collection, new faunistic and taxonomic data on the spiders of Morocco are provided. A total of 20 species from 12 families were identified, including five species newly described herein: Gorbiscape amazighus sp. nov. (♂♀; Marrakech–Safi Region) [Agelenidae], Liocranum atlasicum sp. nov. (♂♀; Marrakech–Safi Region) [Liocranidae], Zelotes maroccanus sp. nov. (♀; Tanger–Tétouan–Al Houceima Region), Z. reuteri sp. nov. (♂; Marrakech–Safi Region) [Gnaphosidae], and Zodarion neblibohakrostorum sp. nov. (♂; Tanger–Tétouan–Al Houceima Region) [Zodariidae]. Ballus chalybeius (Walckenaer, 1802) [Salticidae] and the genus Liocranum L. Koch, 1866 are newly recorded from Morocco, while Psilochorus simoni (Berland, 1911) [Pholcidae] is recorded in Africa for the first time. Additionally, photographic illustrations and SEM images are provided for Lycosoides murphyorum Bosmans, 2022 [Agelenidae] and Rhode scutiventris Simon, 1882 [Dysderidae]. Finally, four species are transferred from Agelena Walckenaer, 1805 [Agelenidae] to Gorbiscape Zamani & Marusik, 2020: G. canariensis (Lucas, 1838) comb. nov. from the Canary Islands and Northwest Africa, and G. gomerensis (Wunderlich, 1992) comb. nov., G. gonzalezi (Schmidt, 1980) comb. nov. and G. tenerifensis (Wunderlich, 1992) comb. nov. from the Canary Islands.