Atea subfusca C. L. Koch, 1837: 4 (descr. ♂, ♀).

Araneus arganicola Simon, 1909: 26 (descr. ♂, ♀) syn. nov. Neoscona subfusca; Grasshoff 1980: 406 (transfer from Araneus ♂, ♀).

Type material. Syntypes of Araneus arganicola containing 1 ♂2 ♀♀ from Morocco, Mogador (= Essaouira), de La Escalera leg. (MNHN 15552 and 24415); examined.

Comments. Araneus arganicola was described from Morocco by Simon (1909). In his description, Simon thought it was closely related to Neoscona dalmatica, now a junior synonym of N. subfusca. Differences to N. subfusca or to the related N. adianta were not given. Examination of what we here select as the type material of Neoscona arganicola (Fig. 1a-g) reveals it is a synonym of N. subfusca. In the male palp, there is one terminal spike in the median apophysis (two in N. adianta) and the female epigyne has a relatively wide scape (narrow in N. adianta). Araneus arganicola also has the same opisthosomal pattern as N. subfusca, thus it does not differ morphologically from Neoscona subfusca and becomes its junior synonym.

Morano & Bonal (2018) also examined material of A. arganicola deposited in the MNHN, but they only saw subadult specimens. In their opinion, A. arganicola was a probable synonym of A. subfusca, which is confirmed here.

In Algeria, Neoscona adianta was only found in coastal regions, whereas N. subfusca occurs in Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia, as well as in the southern parts, including oases in the Sahara Desert (see examined material below). The type locality of N. arganicola is in the south of Morocco, therefore its habitat preferences are the same as those of N. subfusca.

Examined comparative material of Neoscona subfusca from North Africa. ALGERIA: M'sila: Baniou S., Chott el Hodna (35.41°N, 4.34°E), 400 m a.s.l., 1 ♀, on herbs in salt marsh, 13. May 1988, R. Bosmans leg. (CRB). Tamanrasset: Gare de l'Assekrem (23.26°N, 5.63°E), 2700 m a.s.l., 1 ♀, Jul. 1979, R. Bosmans leg. (CRB). MOROCCO: Fès-Boulemane: Missour (33.00°N, 3.99°E), 880 m a.s.l., 2 ♀♀, pitfall traps in steppe, 13. Sep. 2002 (CRB). Souss-Massa: between Imitek and Tata (29.69°N, 3.83°E), 740 m a.s.l., 1 ♀, among stones in palm groove, 14. Feb. 2007, R. Bosmans leg. (CRB).

TUNISIA: Beja: Oued Zergha (35.40°N, 9.62°E), 2 ♂♂ 4 ♀♀, on olive trees, V. Bouters leg. (CRB). Bizerte: Teskraia E., NW Lake Ichgeul (37.17°N, 9.61°E), 495 m a.s.l., 1 ♂ 1 ♀, beating hedges, 7. May 2006, R. Bosmans leg. (CRB). Tozeur: Dhgoumes (33.98°N, 8.46°E), 15 m a.s.l., 1 ♀, in oasis, 14. Apr. 2004, K. De Smet (CRB).

Examined material of Neoscona adianta from North Africa. ALGERIA: Bejaia: river mouth of Oued Daas near Tichi (36.87°N, 4.82°E), 5 m a.s.l., 4 ♀♀, beating bushes in dunes, 22. May 1988, R. Bosmans leg. (CRB); Adekar E. (36.68°N, 4.67°E), 800 m a.s.l., 2 ♀♀, 17. Apr. 1982, on herbs in mixed forest, R. Bosmans leg. (CRB). Blida: Atlas Blidéen, Maison Forestière de Meurdja (36.49°N, 3.14°E), 900 m a.s.l., 3 ♂♂, sweeping herbs in garden, 30. May 1987, R. Bosmans leg. (CRB).

Distribution. Southern Europe, Africa, Russia (Europe to Central Asia), Middle East (WSC 2021).

Drassus obscurus Lucas, 1846: 214, pl. 13, fig. 1 (descr. ♀).

Amaurobius obscurus; Simon 1864: 139 (transfer).

Drassodes obscurus; Reimoser 1919: 162 (transfer).

Type material. Holotype ♀ of Drassus obscurus Lucas, 1846 from Algeria, El Kala (36.88°N, 8.43°E), collection Lucas (MNHN); examined.

Comments. Drassus obscurus was described from Algeria and the species has never been studied since. Roewer (1955) considered it a nomen nudum. In the WSC (2021), it is listed under Drassodes. The discovery of the holotype shows it is indeed a Drassodes species, belonging to the D. lutescens group, which is evident from the structure of the vulva shown in the Fig. 2a. The placement of the species in the genus Drassodes is confirmed here. A revision of the North African species of this genus has to be undertaken to establish its exact taxonomic status.

Megamyrmaekion caudatum Reuss, 1834: 212, pl. 18, fig. 12 (descr. juvenile).

Drassus tarrhunensis Karsch, 1881: 12, pl. 1, fig. 11 (descr. ♀) syn. nov.

Megamyrmaekion caudatum; Levy 2009: 14, figs 29-32 (♀, synonymy).

Type material. Holotype ♀ of Drassus tarrhunensis from Lybia, Djebel Tarrhuna, Bir Milrha (32.43°N, 1.63°E), Dec. 1878, Rohlfs leg. (ZMB 3293); examined.

Comments. Drassus tarrhunensis Karsch, 1881 is only known from the original description and was never recorded again. It is mentioned in the WSC (2021) as Drassodes tarrhunensis. The holotype female was examined and is in a poor condition but the epigyne is intact. It shows a large, lenticular pit with an anterior hood and two pairs of receptacula at each side of the depression (Fig. 2b-c). This type of epigyne shows strong similarities to that of Megamyrmaekion caudatum and we consider Drassus tarrhunensis a junior synonym of that species.

Megamyrmaekion caudatum was described from Egypt and was redescribed by Levy (2009). Levy (op. cit.) also discovered that M. pumilum Simon, 1885, which Simon (1885) described from the Algerian, Tunisian and Egyptian Sahara, is a synonym of Megamyrmaekion caudatum. Caporiacco (1933) misidentified a specimen of Megamyrmaekion caudatum as Zelotes fuscorufus (Simon, 1878) from Libya. During our numerous excursions in Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia, Megamyrmaekion caudatum was never collected.

Distribution. Desert areas of Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Israel and Iran.

Drassus mundulus O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1872: 234, pl. 15, fig. 11 (descr. ♂, ♀).

Drassus nugatorius Karsch, 1881: 12, pl. 1, fig. 10 (♀) syn. nov. Poecilochroa monodi Fage, 1929: figs 2-3 (descr. ♂, ♀); synonymy by Levy (1999).

Odontodrassus mundulus; Levy 1999: 448, figs 43-46 (transfer). Type material. Syntypes 1 ♂, 2 ♀♀ of Drassus mundulus from Israel, plains of the Jordan (HECO, B. 243, t. 46, 1 ♀, t. 69, 1 ♀) and Egypt, Cairo (30.05°N, 31.23°E) (HECO, B. 241, t.85, 1 ♂, 1 ♀); examined by Levy (1999).

Syntypes ♂♂, ♀♀ of Poecilochroa monodi from Algeria and Tunisia (MNHN, B. 623, t. 5218, t. 13198, t. 19524) and from Egypt (MNHN B. 623, t.6234); examined by Levy (1999). Holotype ♀ of Drassus nugatorius from Libya, palm garden near Sockna (29.07°N, 15.78°E), 4. Feb. 1879, Rohlfs leg. (ZMB 3294); examined.

Description. See Levy (1999).

Comments. Drassus nugatorius Karsch, 1881 is only known from the original description and has never been recorded again. In the WSC (2021), it is listed under Drassodes. The holotype female was examined and is in good condition. The epigyne is very typical and is identical to that of Odontodrassus mundulus. Moreover, the drawings of the epigynes by Pickard-Cambridge (1872, fig. 11), Karsch (1881, fig. 10) and Fage (1929, fig. 2) all show the curved copulatory ducts forming a letter X. Drassus nugatorius Karsch, 1884 thus becomes a junior synonym of O. mundulus. In the Maghreb, O. mundulus was reported from Libya by Caporiacco (1928, 1936a, 1936b) and from Algeria by Denis (1966).

New records. ALGERIA: El Bayadh: Brezina E. (33.09°N, 1.25°E), 800 m a.s.l., 1 ♂, stones in steppe, 8. Feb. 1987, R. Bosmans leg. (CRB). Illizi: Iherir (35.40°N, 8.40°E), 1200 m a.s.l., 1 ♀, 12. Feb. 1996, K. De Smet leg. (CRB); 70 km S to Illizi, Oued Djeret (26.29°N, 8.63°E), 700 m a.s.l., 1 ♀, 10. Feb. 1985 (CRB). M'sila: Aïn Oghrab (33.09°N, 1.25°E), 650 m a.s.l., 1 ♂, pitfall traps in open Pinus forest, 20. Mar.–23. Jun. 1990, R. Bosmans leg. (CRB). Tamanrasset: Massif de l'Ahaggar, Oued Tit (22.90°N, 4.91°E), 1 ♀, 17. Feb. 1988, K. De Smet leg. (CRB).

MOROCCO: Marrakesh-Safi: Aït Barka (31.48°N, 7.44°E), 1300 m a.s.l., stones in Pinus forest, 6. Jun. 1999, R. Bosmans leg. (CRB). Souss-Massa: Barrage Youcef Ben-Tachfine (29.84°N, 9.49°E), 100 m a.s.l., 1 ♀, 27. Apr. 2012, R. Bosmans leg. (CRB).

TUNISIA: Kairouan: road Aïn Djeloula-Oglet Tarfa (35.763611°N, 9.955833°E), 60 m a.s.l., 1 ♂, 23. Jan. 1995, R. Bosmans leg. (CRB).

JORDAN: At Tafiela: Dana (30.67°N, 35.62°E), 1550 m a.s.l., 1 ♂, stones in irrigated garden, 17. Nov. 2007, R. Bosmans leg. (CRB). Al Karak: Shawbak castle (30.53N, 33.65°E), 1250 m a.s.l., 1 ♂ 1 ♀, stones on slope to castle, 17. Nov. 2007, R. Bosmans leg. (CRB).

Distribution. Odontodrassus mundulus is known from Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt and Israel. It is reported here for the first time in Jordan.

Drassus pugnax O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1874: 399, pl. 52, fig. 25 (descr. ♂).

Drassus sockniensis Karsch, 1881: 12, pl. 1, fig. 9 (descr. ♀) syn. nov.

Poecilochroa pugnax; Simon 1908: 423 (descr. ♀).

Poecilochroa lesserti Denis, 1947: 62 pl. 3, figs 8-10 (descr. ♂, ♀); synonymy by Levy (1999).

Poecilochroa pugnax; Levy 1999: 433, figs 10-14 (♂, ♀).

Type material. Holotype ♂ of Drassus pugnax from Egypt, Cairo (30.05°N, 31.23°E) (HECO, b.254); examined and redescribed by Levy (1999).

Syntypes 1 ♂ and 1 ♀ of Poecilochroa lesserti from Egypt, Siwa, (BMNH, ♂ 1936.7.10.136a, ♀ 1936.2.12.1049); examined by Levy (1999).

Holotype ♀ of Drassus sockniensis from Libya, palm garden near Sockna, 4. Feb. 1879, Rohlfs leg. (ZMB 3293); examined.

Comments. The holotype female of Drassus sockniensis is in very bad condition, but the epigyne and vulva is intact (Fig. 2d-e) and shows very large receptacula typical for the genus Poecilochroa. In Libya, two species of Poecilochroa have been observed: Poecilochroa pugnax (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1874) and P. senilis (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1872). Both species are similar in having elongated, sausage-shaped receptacula. They differ by the presence of ducts reaching half the length of the receptacula in P. senilis and less than one third the length of the receptacula in P. pugnax (Levy 1999). In the type specimen of Drassus sockniensis, ducts are limited to the basal third of the receptacula (Fig. 2e), just like in P. pugnax, and we consider P. sockniensis (Karsch, 1881) and P. pugnax synonyms.

Prosthesima mollis O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1874: 381, pl. 51, fig. 9 (descr. ♀).

Echemus pharetratus Karsch, 1881: 11, pl. 1, fig. 8 (descr. ♀; synonymy by Bosmans & Janssen 1999).

Prosthesima quadridentata Strand, 1906: 613 (descr. ♀); Strand, 1908: 75 (descr. ♀) syn. nov. and removed from nomen dubium, contra Nentwig et al. (2020: 24).

Scotophaeus quadridentatus Caporiacco, 1928: 85, fig. 2 (descr. ♀) syn. nov.

Pseudodrassus quadridentatus; Caporiacco 1935: 286 (transfer). Setaphis mollis; Platnick & Murphy 1996: 12, figs 25-28 (descr. ♂); Levy 1998b: 97, figs 6-9 (♂, ♀); Bosmans & Janssen 1999: 86, figs 9-12 (♂, ♀; synonymy).

Type material. Holotype ♀ of Prosthesima quadridentata Strand, 1906 from Tunis (36.82°N, 10.15°E) (SMNS); not examined, type material destroyed. Lectotype ♀ of Scotophaeus quadridentatus Caporiacco, 1928 by present designation, from Libya, Giarabub (29.72°N, 24.52°E) (MCSG); examined.

Description. See Platnick & Murphy (1996), Levy (1998b) and Bosmans & Janssen (1999).

Comments. Caporiacco (1928) described the female of Scotophaeus quadridentatus as a new species from Libya. Two localities are mentioned in the original description: Porto Bardia and the Giarabub Oasis. The female from the Giarabub Oasis was available for study and selected as the lectotype, and the specimen appears to be identical to Setaphis mollis (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1874), and hence becomes a junior synonym. The name was probably given because of the sclerotic grooves in the epigyne forming a central quadrangle, also seen in Caporiacco's (1928) fig. 2.

It must be pure coincidence that Strand (1906: 613) gave the same species name, Prosthesima quadridentata, to a species he described from Tunisia. In Strand (1908: 76) the epigyne was described as follows: “Epigyne bildet in Fluidum gesehen ein abgerundet viereckiges, bräunliches Feld, das ein wenig länger als breit ist”. Not only the shape of the epigyne but also the size of the spider and the yellowish brown general colour are similar. Since the type specimens no longer exist, it is our opinion this species should be considered a junior synonym of Setaphis mollis as well. Nentwig et al. (2020) suggested the species was a nomen dubium, but we are of the opinion that the arguments above are sufficient to consider it a junior synonym of Setaphis mollis. Distribution. Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and Egypt.

Melanophora tragica O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1872: 243, pl. 16, fig. 22 (descr. ♂). Prosthesima tragica; Simon 1878: 98 (transfer).

Prosthesima kerimi Pavesi, 1880: 348 (descr. ♂, ♀) syn. nov.

Zelotes tragicus; Levy 1998b: 133, figs 82-85 (descr. ♀).

Zelotes tragicus; FitzPatrick 2007: 121, figs 81-84 (♂, ♀).

Type material. Lectotype ♀, paralectotype ♂ (without palps), by present designation, of Prosthesima kerimi from Tunisia, Ludien near Tozeur (33.92°N, 10.28°E), Kerim leg. (MCSG); examined.

Description. See Levy (1998b) and FitzPatrick (2007).

Comments. Prosthesima kerimi was described more than 100 years ago by Pavesi (1880), but has never been illustrated nor clearly diagnosed. The type series could be examined and it is composed of one male, without palps, and one female, with the epigyne present (Fig. 2f). The female is therefore selected as the lectotype. It appears to be identical to Zelotes tragicus (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1872), a common species in North Africa.

Distribution. Tunisia, Libya, Chad, Ethiopia, Israel.

Erigone parumpunctata; Pavesi 1884: 459 (misidentification).

Type material. ♂ holotype: TUNISIA, surroundings of Tunis (“dintorni di Tunis”), winter 1881–1882, G. & L. Doria leg.; coll. MCSG; misidentified as Pelecopsis parumpuncta (Simon, 1881) by Pavesi (1884).

Comments. Pelecopsis parumpunctata was described by Simon (1881a) from France and recorded in Tunisia by Pavesi (1884). Denis (1964: 345) synonymized it with Pelecopsis mengei (Simon, 1884). Allthough Pelecopsis parumpunctata was described before P. mengei and should have priority, the name P. parumpunctata was apparently suppressed for lack of usage (see WSC 2021). In their revisions of North African Pelecopsis species, neither Denis (1962), nor Bosmans & Abrous (1992) mention P. mengei from North Africa. Examination of the specimen cited by Pavesi (1884) reveals that it is not P. mengei but an unknown species described below.

Diagnosis. By the presence of a basal cymbial tubercle, the species is similar to Pelecopsis kalaensis Bosmans, 1992, P. laptevi Tanasevitch & Fet, 1986, P. odontophora (Kulczyński, 1895), P. paralleloides Tanasevitch & Fet, 1986, P. pavida (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1872) and P. susannae (Simon, 1915). Of these, only Pelecopsis kalaensis occurs in North Africa and this species differs from the new species by the palp with a rectangular dorsal tibial apophysis, which is triangular in P. pavesii spec. nov. (Figs 3d, 4c) and also by the elongated palpal femur (Fig. 3b) in P. pavesii spec. nov. Etymology. The species is dedicated to Pietro Pavesi, author of two important contributions to the arachnofauna of Tunisia.

Description. Measurements: Total length 1.5; prosoma 0.85 wide, 0.63 wide. Legs (Tab. 1).

Colour: The specimen is too faded to give information on this feature.

Carapace (Figs 3a-c, 4a-b): With large cephalic elevation carrying PME, a transverse frontal groove, oval postocular sulci, twice the diameter of the PLE and two lines of impressed dots between the PME; AME separated by 2.5 times their diameter, from ALE by 2.5 times their diameter; PME separated by 4 times their diameter.

Opisthosoma: Covered with opaque scutum.

Legs: No spines or trichobothria observed in this old, faded specimen, probably detached and no sign of attachment places.

Palp (Figs 3d-g, 4c-e): Femur elongated, three times longer than wide; tibia with three triangular apophyses, two small retro- and prolateral and a pointed median apophysis. Cymbium with basal tubercle; protegulum protruding; embolus ribbon-like, semi-circular, terminally bent in anterior direction as seen in retrolateral view.

Thaumatoncus indicator Simon, 1884: 581 (descr. ♂)

Erigone digiticeps Simon, 1881a; Pavesi 1884: 46 (misidentification).

Thaumatoncus indicator; Bosmans 2002: 19 (♂).

Material examined. TUNISIA: Surroundings of Tunis (“dintorni di Tunis”), 2 ♂♂, winter 1881–1882, G. & L. Doria leg. (MCSG); examined.

Comments. Pavesi (1884) cited Erigone digiticeps Simon, 1881, now Dactylopisthes digiticeps (Simon, 1881), from Tunisia. This species has never been found in North Africa and Bosmans (1996) considered it a misidentification of Delorrhipis fronticornis Simon, 1884. Examination of Pavesi's specimen now reveals it is Thaumatoncus indicator, a fairly common species in Tunisia (Bosmans 2002). Delorrhipis fronticornis should be deleted from the spider species list of Tunisia.

Distribution. Algeria, Tunisia, Spain, S. France (Bosmans 2002, WSC 2021).

Steatoda erigoniformis (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1872) (Fig. 5a-f)

Theridion erigoniforme O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1872: 284 (descr. ♂, ♀).

Steatoda signata O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1876: 568 (descr. ♀; synonymy by Levy & Amitai, 1982).

Lithyphantes septemmaculatus Keyserling, 1884: 141, pl. 6, fig. 88 (descr. ♀).

Steatoda erigoniformis; Levy & Amitai 1982: 26, figs 63-71 (redescr. ♂, ♀; synonymy).

Euryopis albomaculata Denis, 1951: 313, fig. 1 (descr. ♀) syn. nov.

Type material. Holotype ♀ of Euryopis albomaculata from Egypt, Sawaleh, 5 km S. Fakous (30.07°N 1.83°E), 7. Sep. 1949, M. B. Condé leg. (MNHN); not examined.

Comments. Steatoda erigoniformis has a complex taxonomic history. It was first described in the genus Theridion by Pickard-Cambridge (1872). Later, it was redescribed several times as a new species in two different genera: as Steatoda signata by Pickard-Cambridge (1876), and as Lithyphantes septemmaculatus by Keyserling (1884). It has also been placed in several other genera: in Asagenella by Schenkel (1937) and in Crustullina by Simon (1881b). Euryopis albomaculata Denis, 1951, described from Egypt, appears to be another junior synonym. Comparing Denis' fig. 1 of the epigyne with fig. 70 of Levy & Amitai (1982) (see Fig. 5c-f) and regarding also the small size and the opisthosomal white spots of both species it is evident they are synonyms.

Distribution. East Mediterranean to Middle East, Caucasus, China, Korea, Japan. Introduced to the Caribbean (WSC 2021).