A NEW TROGLOBITIC SPECIES OF THE GENUS PORRHOMMA FROM MACEDONIA (ARANEAE: LINYPHIIDAE)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.20903/masa/nmbsci.2023.44.45Abstract
The new troglobitic species Porrhomma matevskii n. sp. is described from the Srt pit in Matka Gorge, Macedonia, based on specimens of both sexes. To date, no troglobitic species have been recorded from Macedonia. Porrhomma matevskii n. sp. is the first eyeless species to be described in the genus across the entire Balkan Peninsula. The primary troglomorphic traits include the complete absence of eyes, pronounced leg elongation, and near-total depigmentation, which position it as one of the most troglomorphic species within the genus and a clear ancient relict. The phylogenetic relationship between this new species and other members of the genus Porrhomma is discussed. The need for its conservation and protection is also highlighted.
References
C. L. Deeleman-Reinhold, The cave spider fauna of Montenegro (Araneae), Glasnik Republickog Zavoda za Zaštitu Prirode i Prirodnjačkog Muzeja Titogradu, 6 (1974), pp. 9–33.
D. Kolčakovski, S. Hristovski, I. Karaman, M. Komnenov, Threats and conservation measures for the ground carstic phenomena in the Matka canyon. Bilten za Fizička Geografija, 6 (2009), pp. 5–35. [in Macedonian, with English summary].
M. Komnenov, Checklist of spiders (Araneae) of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Prilozi fauni Bosne i Hercegovine, 5 (2009), pp. 51–69.
D. Manakovik, Geomorphology of Suva Gora, Suva mountain and their northsubsidiaries, Annual proceeding of the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Skopje, 16(4) (1968), pp. 129177.
B. Pavlov, Podzemni karstni oblici vo kanjonot Matka, Osmi jugoslovenski speleološki kongres, Belgrad, (1981), pp. 91–94. [In Macedonian].
V. Růžička, A review of the spider genus Porrhomma (Araneae, Linyphiidae), Zootaxa, 4481(1) (2018), pp. 1–75. DOI:10.11646/zootaxa.4481.1.1.
A. Vandel, Biospeleology. The biology of cavernicolous animals, Oxford: Pergamon Press, 1965.
I. Weiss, S. M. Sarbu, Porrhomma frasassianum spec. nov. from a sulfidic cave, Italy (Araneae: Linyphiidae), Arachnologische Mitteilungen, 61 (2021), pp. 73–76. [9] World Spider Catalog. Version 25.5. Natural History Museum Bern, 2024, online at http://wsc.nmbe.ch, accessed on 10.05.2024. DOI: 10.24436/2
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Contributions, Section of Natural, Mathematical and Biotechnical Sciences
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
