Search

Shallow subterranean habitats are among the last habitats in Central Europe to be arachnologically researched. Using stratified pipe traps, we studied the vertical distribution of spiders in soil and interspaces in bedrock (shallow subterranean habitats). Specifically, we sampled fauna in different substrates, including limestone, sandy marlstone, sandy marl, claystone, loess, and artificial gravel accumulation. Employing stratified pipe traps allowed us to identify the depth at which particular species occurred. Across multiple years and sampling sites, we collected 76 spider species, 21 of which showed an affinity for subterranean microhabitats. Some of these species occurred in interspaces in soil and bedrock, whereas others have been previously found in subterranean ant nests and animal burrows. We collected five species (Iberina microphthalma, Centromerus cf. piccolo, Porrhomma cambridgei, P. microcavense, and P. microps) almost exclusively at depths over half a meter, suggesting the strong affinity of these species for a subterranean lifestyle. We provide diagrams of these species’ vertical distribution and photo-document eye reduction. Our study demonstrates that poorly studied shallow subterranean habitats harbor diverse subterranean spider fauna, including several previously considered rare species in Central Europe.

Iberina mazarredoi Simon, 1881 Figs. 3A, 4A, 5A. Iberina mazarredoi Simon, 1881 — Simon 1881: p. 127 (descr. ♂ ♀). I. mazarredoi — Ledoux (2014): p. 32, Figs. 6A–D (♂ ♀). I. mazarredoi — Fernández-Pérez et al. (2014): p. 80, Figs. 7–9 (♂ ♀). Material examined. SPAIN: Cantabria, S. Roque de Riomiera, Sima PO-153, 12 Nov 2016, 1 ♂, leg. C. Prieto, M. Gutiérrez and J. A. Noriega (FC-ZUPV, No. 4194) • Bizkaia, Galdames, Sima Escachabel-2, 30 Nov 2014, 1 ♀, leg. C. Prieto and A. Calvo (FC-ZUPV, No. 2654). Description. ♀ (from Galdames, Spain). CW 0.54 mm. The carapace is pale yellow, and the abdomen is a pale whitish grey. Leg measurements: I: 2.25 (0.66, 0.22, 0.52, 0.44, 0.41); II: 2.14 (0.64, 0.21, 0.47, 0.42, 0.40); III: 1.96 (0.56, 0.20, 0.41, 0.42, 0.37); IV: 2.55 (0.72, 0.21, 0.59, 0.58, 0.45). The vulva has two pairs of small spermathecae, far in the front of the epigastric fold (Fig. 5A). ♂ (from S. Roque de Riomiera, Spain): The tibial apophysis starts with a conical narrowing of the tibia and has cuttings (Fig. 3A). The tip of the cymbium is rounded and the embolus makes about three turns around the bulbus (Fig. 4A). Ecology. Exclusively in caves. Geographic distribution. Endemic to a limited territory in the Basque-Cantabrian Region (Spain) and in the western part of the Pyrenees Mts. (France) (Fernández-Pérez et al. 2014)., Published as part of Růžička, Vlastimil, 2022, A review of the spider genus Iberina (Araneae, Hahniidae), pp. 555-566 in Zootaxa 5133 (4) on page 560, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5133.4.6, http://zenodo.org/record/6531114, {"references":["Simon, E. (1881) Arachnides nouveaux ou peu connus des provinces basques. Anales de la Sociedad Espanola de Historia Natural, 10, 127 - 132.","Ledoux, J. - C. (2014) Les Hahniidae de la faune francaise (Araneae). Revue arachnologique, Serie 2, No. 1, 29 - 40.","Fernandez-Perez, J., Castro, A. & Prieto, C. E. (2014) Aranas cavernicolas (Araneae) de la region Vasco-Cantabrica: Nuevos registros y actualizacion del conocimiento. Cave spiders (Araneae) from the Basque-Cantabrian Region: new records and update of knowledge. Revista Iberica de Aracnologia, 25, 77 - 91. [in Spanish, English summary]"]}

Iberina montana (Blackwall, 1841) Figs. 3D, 4D, 5D. Agelena montana Blackwall, 1841 — Blackwall (1841): p. 622 (descr. ♀); transferred by Lehtinen (1967). Hahnia parva Kulczyński, 1882 — Kulczyński (1882): p. 30, Plate 3, Fig. 18 (descr. ♂); synonymised by Harm (1966). H. cacuminata Bösenberg, 1902 — Bösenberg (1902): p. 237, Plate 21, Fig. 339 (descr. ♀); synonymised by Harm (1966). H. montana — Harm (1966): p. 354, Figs. 23–28 (♂ ♀); synonymy. I. montana — Lehtinen (1967): p. 240. I. montana — Ledoux (2014): p. 32, Figs. 7A–C. Material examined. GERMANY, Hüls bei Krefeld, 30 Jul 1950, 1 ♂ 2 ♀, leg. H. Casemir (NMB, ARAN 02003 h) • SWITZERLAND, Villnachern, Küttingen, 1 Jan 1974, 1 ♂ 1 ♀, leg. R. Maurer (NMB, ARAN 02003 f) • SLOVAKIA, Malá Fatra Mts, 1 ♀ (NMP, P6 A-755/120). Description. ♀ (from Hüls bei Krefeld, Germany), CW 0.63 mm. The carapace is yellow brown with blackish fovea and radiating striae, and the abdomen is blackish grey with chevrons. Leg measurements: I: 2.08 (0.64, 0.21, 0.47, 0.41, 0.35); II: 1.91 (0.57, 0.22, 0.41, 0.39, 0.32); III: 1.77 (0.50, 0.21, 0.36, 0.39, 0.31); IV: 2.33 (0.65, 0.20, 0.56, 0.53, 0.39). Epigyne: spermathecae are distinct, clearly visible. Vulva: the primary spermathecae are separated by a space smaller than their diameter. Secondary spermathecae are clearly developed (Fig. 5D). ♂ (together with female). The palpal femur has three spines on the ventral side. The tibial apophysis starts with conical narrowing of the tibia and has cuttings (Fig. 3D). The tip of the cymbium is rounded (Fig. 4D). Ecology. In moss and litter of wet forests. Geographic distribution. Europe., Published as part of Růžička, Vlastimil, 2022, A review of the spider genus Iberina (Araneae, Hahniidae), pp. 555-566 in Zootaxa 5133 (4) on page 563, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5133.4.6, http://zenodo.org/record/6531114, {"references":["Blackwall, J. (1841) The difference in the number of eyes with which spiders are provided proposed as the basis of their distribution into tribes; with descriptions of newly discovered species and the characters of a new family and three new genera of spiders. Transactions of the Linnean Society of London, 18, 601 - 670. https: // doi. org / 10.1111 / j. 1095 - 8339.1838. tb 00210. x","Lehtinen, P. T. (1967) Classification of the cribellate spiders and some allied families, with notes on the evolution of the suborder Araneomorpha. Annales Zoologici Fennici, 4, 199 - 468.","Kulczynski, W. (1882) Opisy nowych gatunkow pajakow, z Tatr, Babiej gory i Karpat szlazkich. Pamietnik Akademii umiejetnosci v Krakowie, Wydzial matematyczno-przyrodniczy, 8, 1 - 42.","Harm, M. (1966) Die deutschen Hahniidae (Arach., Araneae). Senckenbergiana biologica, 47, 345 - 370.","Bosenberg, W. (1902) Die Spinnen Deutschlands II - IV. E. Nagele, Stuttgart, pp. 97 - 384.","Ledoux, J. - C. (2014) Les Hahniidae de la faune francaise (Araneae). Revue arachnologique, Serie 2, No. 1, 29 - 40."]}

Iberina Simon, 1881 Type species. Iberina mazarredoi Simon, 1881, from Spain. Diagnosis. I. mazarredoi is a member of the subfamily Hahniinae, with spinnerets arranged in a transverse row. Representatives of the genus Iberina can be distinguished from other genera of the subfamily by the combination of the following characteristics: the clypeus protrudes in profile, and is usually higher than the two ALE; presence of a strong, spur-like patellar apophysis; and a curved tibial apophysis that is serrated at its end and has a discoidal bulbus., Published as part of Růžička, Vlastimil, 2022, A review of the spider genus Iberina (Araneae, Hahniidae), pp. 555-566 in Zootaxa 5133 (4) on page 559, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5133.4.6, http://zenodo.org/record/6531114, {"references":["Simon, E. (1881) Arachnides nouveaux ou peu connus des provinces basques. Anales de la Sociedad Espanola de Historia Natural, 10, 127 - 132."]}

Iberina (?) ljovuschkini Pichka, 1965 Iberina (?) ljovuschkini Pichka, 1965 — Pichka (1965): p. 1191, Fig. 1 a–g (descr. ♀). Hahnia ljovuschkini — Lehtinen (1967): p. 237. I. ljovuschkini — Brignoli (1983): p. 506. Comments. The species was described according to two females collected in Shakalya Cave in western Transcaucasia. However, type material is not available (K. Mikhailov, Moscow, and E. Perkovsky, Kiev, in litt.). The male is unknown. It is impossible to decide on the generic and species identity. At present, we must consider this species as species inquirenda and the name Iberina ljovuschkini is declared a nomen dubium., Published as part of Růžička, Vlastimil, 2022, A review of the spider genus Iberina (Araneae, Hahniidae), pp. 555-566 in Zootaxa 5133 (4) on page 564, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5133.4.6, http://zenodo.org/record/6531114, {"references":["Pichka, V. E. (1965) On the spider fauna of the caves in the west Transcaucasia. Zoologicheskii Zhurnal, 44, 1190 - 1196.","Lehtinen, P. T. (1967) Classification of the cribellate spiders and some allied families, with notes on the evolution of the suborder Araneomorpha. Annales Zoologici Fennici, 4, 199 - 468.","Brignoli, P. M. (1983) A catalogue of the Araneae described between 1940 and 1981. Manchester University Press, Manchester, 755 pp."]}

Iberina microphthalma (Snazell & Duffey, 1980) Figs. 3B, 4B, 5B. Hahnia microphthalma Snazell & Duffey, 1980 — Snazell & Duffey (1980): p. 50, Figs. 1 –6 (descr. ♀); transferred by Ledoux (2014). Iberina caeca Georgescu & Sarbu, 1992 — Georgescu & Sarbu (1992): p. 139, Figs. 1 –6 (descr. ♀); new synonymy. H. caeca — Weiss & Sarbu (1996): p. 164, Figs. 1–4 (descr. ♂). H. microphthalma — Szita et al. (1998): p. 342, Figs. 1, 2. I. microphthalma — Ledoux (2014): p. 34, Figs. 11A–E. I. microphthalma — Mezöfi & Markó (2018): p. 3, Figs. 4a–d. Material examined. CZECHIA: Jenišovice-Mravín, 49.9446°N, 16.0522°E, 335 m a.s.l., sandy marl slope, 25 Oct 2013 – 10 Nov 2021, 19 ♂ 9 ♀, leg. V. Růžička & J. Dolanský • Bohemian Karst, Liteň, 49.8957°N, 14.1224°E, 440 m a.s.l., 13 Apr–17 May 2011, 1 ♀, leg. A. Tenčík (Machač & Zedek 2014; sub I. candida, misidentification) • Louny-Raná, Raná Mt., 50.3999°N, 13.7730°E, 250 m a.s.l., 11 Aug 2019 – 28 Oct 2021, 31 ♂ 30 ♀, leg. P. Veselý, P. Moravec, J. Blízek, R. Kmeco & J. Bouchal • Bečov-Milá, Milá Mt. 50.4272°N, 13.7684°E, 410 m a.s.l., 11 Sep 2019 – 28 Oct 2021, 5 ♂ 1 ♀, leg. J. Blízek, R. Kmeco & J. Bouchal • Louny-Dobroměřice 50.3780°N, 13.8088°E, 190 m a.s.l., 11 Sep 2019 – 7 Sep 2021, 8 ♂ 7 ♀, leg. P. Moravec & P. Veselý • Semice, 50.1594°N, 14.8666°E, 225 m a.s.l., 13 Jul–10 Oct 2020, 1 ♂, leg. P. Veselý & M. Linhart • Praha-Řeporyje, 8 Apr–20 Aug 2021, 1 ♂ 2 ♀, leg. P. Veselý (IECA, VčM) • SLOVAKIA: Hronský Beňadik, 48.3540°N, 18.5561°E, 300 m a.s.l., 5 Jul 2020 – 12 Sep 2021, 3 ♂ 3 ♀, leg. J. Blízek, R. Kmeco & J. Bouchal (IECA). Description. ♀ (from Jenišovice-Mravín, Czechia, 29 Sep 2015 – 15 Nov 2016). CW 0.46 mm. Carapace pale yellow, abdomen pale whitish grey. Leg measurements: I: 1.60 (0.48, 0.18, 0.34, 0.31, 0.29); II: 1.51 (0.45, 0.15, 0.31, 0.30, 0.30); III: 1.42 (0.39, 0.16, 0.28, 0.29, 0.30); IV: 1.82 (0.50, 0.16, 0.42, 0.40, 0.34). Loops of copulatory ducts are situated in front of primary spermathecae. Secondary spermathecae are greatly reduced and hardly visible (Fig. 5B). ♂ (from Jenišovice-Mravín, Czechia, 29 Sep 2015 — 15 Nov 2016). The palpal femur has three spines on the ventral side. The tibial apophysis is long and sharply separated from the tibia, with serrations on its inner side (Fig. 3B). The male palp differs from that of all other species by the protruding tip of the cymbium and by an embolus with one turn only (Fig. 4B). Variation. The eyes exhibit various stages of diminishment. Comments. The type material of I. caeca, collected in Movile cave, should be deposited in the ‘Emile Racovita’ Institute of Speleology, Bucharest; however, the material is not available (A. Nae, in litt.). The male of I. caeca was described by Weiss and Sarbu (1996) based on one male completely lacking eyes, collected in the Movile Cave. It should be deposited in the Natural History Museum Sibiu; however, the material is not available (A.-M. Papureanu, in litt.). Originally, I. microphthalma was described by Snazell and Duffey (1980) based on two females with reduced PMA. Iberina caeca, described by Georgescu and Sarbu (1992), exhibit the same characteristic copulatory ducts, albeit absent AME. The male designated provisionally as Hahnia sp. aff. caeca, described from surface habitats in Romania, fully fits the specimens from Movile cave (Weiss & Sarbu 1996). The form of the copulatory ducts and the protruding cymbium and embolus with one turn in the material examined fully fit these descriptions. The descriptions of females by Snazell and Duffey (1980) and Georgescu and Sarbu (1992) and of the male by Weiss & Sarbu (1996), together with rich material of males and females from the Czech and Slovak Republics, allow synonymisation of I. caeca with I. microphthalma. Ecology. In Great Britain, I. microphthalma was recorded in chalck grasslands. In Romania, it was collected in xerotherm slopes and once in a cave. Using pipe traps, Růžička & Dolanský (2016) documented, for the first time, that the species inhabits the soil on sandy marl slopes, at a depth of 50–120 cm. Later, rich material was collected during research on invertebrates in stony soils on bedrock formed by decaying claystone and sandy marl. In Czechia, this habitat forms so-called ‘white slopes’. Using a colonisation trap, three living females were collected: two at a depth of 60 cm and one at the depth of 110 cm. Geographic distribution. According to its subterranean mode of life, it is known from sporadic records in Great Britain, Germany, Switzerland, Czechia, Hungary (Růžička & Dolanský 2016; Mezöfi & Markó 2018) and Romania (Weiss & Sarbu 1996). Recently it was also recorded in Slovakia., Published as part of Růžička, Vlastimil, 2022, A review of the spider genus Iberina (Araneae, Hahniidae), pp. 555-566 in Zootaxa 5133 (4) on pages 560-562, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5133.4.6, http://zenodo.org/record/6531114, {"references":["Snazell, R. & Duffey, E. (1980) A new species of Hahnia (Araneae, Hahniidae) from Britain. Bulletin of the British arachnological Society, 5, 50 - 52.","Ledoux, J. - C. (2014) Les Hahniidae de la faune francaise (Araneae). Revue arachnologique, Serie 2, No. 1, 29 - 40.","Georgescu, M. & Sarbu, S. (1992) Description d'un nouveau taxon: Iberina caeca de la grotte \" Pestera de la Movile \" (Araneae, Hahniidae). Memoires de Biospeologie, 19, 139 - 141.","Weiss, I. & Sarbu, S. M. (1996) Das unbekannte Mannchen der Hohlenspinne Hahnia caeca n. comb., mit Hinweisen zur Funktion der Tibial-Apophyse des mannlichen Pedipalpus (Arachnida, Araneae, Hahniidae). Verhandlungen des Naturwissen- schaftlichen Vereins in Hamburg, Neue Folge, 36, 163 - 171.","Szita, E., Samu, F., Bleicher, K. & Botos, E. (1998) Data to the spider fauna of Koros-Maros National Park (Hungary). Acta Phytopathologica et Entomologica Hungarica, 33, 341 - 348.","Mezofi, L. & Marko, V. (2018) Some rare and remarkable spider species from Hungary (Arachnida: Araneae). Arachnologische Mitteilungen, 55, 1 - 9. https: // doi. org / 10.30963 / aramit 5501","Ruzicka, V. & Dolansky, J. (2016) Catching of spiders in shallow subterranean habitats in the Czech Republic. Arachnologische Mitteilungen, 51, 43 - 48. https: // doi. org / 10.5431 / aramit 5106"]}

Iberina candida (Simon, 1875) Figs. 3C, 4C, 5C. Hahnia candida Simon, 1875 — Simon (1875): p. 143 (descr. ♀); transferred by Lehtinen (1967). H. muscicola Simon, 1875: Simon (1875): p. 144, Plate 6, Fig. 1 (descr. ♂ ♀); synonymised by Harm (1966). H. candida —O. Pickard-Cambridge (1879): p. 71 (descr. ♂). H. rupicola Simon, 1884 — Simon (1884): p. 120 (descr. ♂); synonymised by Harm (1966). H. candida — Harm (1966): p. 352, Figs. 17–22 (♂ ♀); synonymy. Iberina candida — Lehtinen (1967): p. 240. I. candida — Ledoux (2014): p. 33, Figs. 5, 8A–C, 9 (♂ ♀). Material examined. GERMANY: Pretzfeld, Unterzaunsbach, 49.737°N, 11.235°E, 470 m a.s.l., rock face, 9 Sep– 12 Oct 2000, 1 ♂, leg. M.-A. Fritze & T. Blick • Streitberg, 49.810°N, 11.217°E, 450 m a.s.l., rock face, 21 May–11 Jun 1996, 1 ♀, leg. T. Blick & J. Sachteleben (CTB) • Homburg, 27 Jul 1985 – 20 Sep 1986, 1 ♂ 3 ♀, leg. E. Bauchhenss (NMB, ARAN 25509) • SPAIN: El Pinet, 38.1490°N, 0.6341°W, 20 May 2018, 1 ♀, leg. J. Dolanský (CJD) • FRANCE: Le Bugue, Le Tuquet, 44.8865°N, 0.9794°E, 28 Jun 2016, 1 ♀, leg. J. Dolanský (CJD) • CZECHIA: Lochkov, Lochkovský Profil Reserve, 49.9991°N, 14.3344°E, 26 May 2019, 2 ♀ • Lochkov, Radotínské Skály Reserve, 49.9945°N, 14.3463°E, 22 Sep 2019, 2 ♂ 4 ♀, leg. J. Dolanský (CJD). Description. ♀ (from Streitberg, Germany). CW 0.49 mm. Carapace pale yellow brown, abdomen yellowish grey with chevrons. Leg measurements: I: 1.59 (0.47, 0.18, 0.36, 0.31, 0.27); II: 1.43 (0.42, 0.16, 0.31, 0.28, 0.26); III: 1.33 (0.38, 0.15, 0.28, 0.28, 0.24); IV: 1.78 (0.50, 0.17, 0.42, 0.38, 0.31). Vulva with large secondary spermathecae (Fig. 5C). ♂ (from Pretzfeld, Germany). The palpal femur has five spines on the ventral side. The tibial apophysis starts with conical narrowing of the tibia and has a tooth at the end (Fig. 3C). The tip of the cymbium is rounded (Fig. 4C). Ecology. In detritus of forest steppe as well as rocky and grassy xerotherms. Geographic distribution. Europe., Published as part of Růžička, Vlastimil, 2022, A review of the spider genus Iberina (Araneae, Hahniidae), pp. 555-566 in Zootaxa 5133 (4) on page 559, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5133.4.6, http://zenodo.org/record/6531114, {"references":["Simon, E. (1875) Les arachnides de France II. Encyclopedie Roret, Paris, 359 pp.","Lehtinen, P. T. (1967) Classification of the cribellate spiders and some allied families, with notes on the evolution of the suborder Araneomorpha. Annales Zoologici Fennici, 4, 199 - 468.","Harm, M. (1966) Die deutschen Hahniidae (Arach., Araneae). Senckenbergiana biologica, 47, 345 - 370.","Pickard-Cambridge, O. (1879) The spiders of Dorset. Araneidea. Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Antiquarian Field Club, 1, 1 - 235.","Simon, E. (1884) Arachnides observes a Miranda de Ebro au mois d'aout 1883. Anales de la Sociedad Espanola de Historia Natural, 13, 113 - 126.","Ledoux, J. - C. (2014) Les Hahniidae de la faune francaise (Araneae). Revue arachnologique, Serie 2, No. 1, 29 - 40."]}

Iberina difficilis (Harm, 1966) Figs. 3E, 4E, 5E. Hahnia difficilis Harm, 1966 — Harm (1966): p. 356, Figs. 29–35 (descr. ♂ ♀); transferred by Lehtinen (1967). Iberina difficilis — Lehtinen (1967): p. 240. I. difficilis — Ledoux (2014): p. 34, Fig. 10. Material examined. Owing to the indistinguishability of males of I. difficilis and I. montana, only material containing females is considered. SWITZERLAND, Son Cassian, 9 Jun–27 Jul 2003, 1 ♂ 2 ♀ (NMB, ARAN 25962) • Grindelwald, Adelboden, 2 ♂ 1 ♀, sub I. montana, misidentification (NMB, ARAN 02003 a) • CZECHIA: Srní— Horská Kvilda, Jezerní Slať Reserve, 1060 m a.s.l., 29 Jun?, 2 ♂ 2 ♀, leg. F. Miller (NMP, P6A 755 /1) • Horní Planá — Pernek, 770 m a.s.l., 30 Jul 1956, 2 ♂ 2 ♀, leg. F. Miller (NMP, P6A 755 /2) • Zlaté Hory, Rejvíz Reserve, 770 m a.s.l., 25 Sep?, 2 ♂ 2 ♀, leg. F. Miller (NMP, P6A 755 /6) • Borová Lada, 17 Sep 1985, 2 ♀, leg. A. Kůrka • Zaječov, former military training area Jordán, 49.7230°N, 13.8623°E, 810 m a.s.l., 29 Mar–15 Aug 2017, 3 ♂ 1 ♀, leg. K. Tajovský & V. Pižl • Obecnice, former military training area Tok, 49.709°N, 13.880°E, 810 m a.s.l., 17–21 Jul 2017, 2 ♂ 2 ♀, leg. R. Tropek (IECA) • Jílové—Sněžník, 26 Jun 1998, 1 ♀, leg. E. Kula (CVB) • Liberec, Černá Hora Mt., 11 Jun–15 Sep 2018, 1 ♂ 3 ♀ • Hejnice (distr. Liberec), Zelený Kámen Mt., 8 Jun—12 Sep 2018, 2 ♂ 3 ♀ • Desná, Bukovec Mt., 15 Aug–2 Sep 2018, 3 ♀ • Harrachov, Mrtvý Vrch Mt., 7 Jul–11 Aug 2019, 1 ♂ 1 ♀, leg. P. Vonička (CAK). Description. ♀ (from Horní Planá, Czechia). CW 0.60 mm. The carapace is yellow brown with blackish fovea and radiating striae, and the abdomen is blackish grey with chevrons. Leg measurements: I: 2.01 (0.60, 0.23, 0.43, 0.38, 0.37); II: 1.82 (0.56, 0.22, 0.36, 0.35, 0.33); III: 1.65 (0.48, 0.17, 0.35, 0.34, 0.31); IV: 2.28 (0.65, 0.22, 0.51, 0.50, 0.40). Epigyne: the spermathecae are indistinct, hardly visible. Vulva: the primary spermathecae are separated by a space broader than their diameter, and secondary spermathecae are greatly reduced, hardly visible (Fig. 5 E). ♂ (from Horní Planá, Czechia). Palpal femur with three spines on the ventral side (Fig. 2O). The tibial apophysis starts with conical narrowing of the tibia and has cuttings (Fig. 3E). The tip of the cymbium is rounded (Fig. 4E). Ecology. In peat bogs, heathlands and other open, wet habitats, mainly in higher altitudes. Geographic distribution. Europe., Published as part of Růžička, Vlastimil, 2022, A review of the spider genus Iberina (Araneae, Hahniidae), pp. 555-566 in Zootaxa 5133 (4) on pages 559-560, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5133.4.6, http://zenodo.org/record/6531114, {"references":["Harm, M. (1966) Die deutschen Hahniidae (Arach., Araneae). Senckenbergiana biologica, 47, 345 - 370.","Lehtinen, P. T. (1967) Classification of the cribellate spiders and some allied families, with notes on the evolution of the suborder Araneomorpha. Annales Zoologici Fennici, 4, 199 - 468.","Ledoux, J. - C. (2014) Les Hahniidae de la faune francaise (Araneae). Revue arachnologique, Serie 2, No. 1, 29 - 40."]}

Iberina difficilis (Harm, 1966) Figs 9A–C Material. 1 ♂ (NMNHS), Slavyanka Mts, near Shabran Peak, N 41.3896 ˚, E 23.6080, 2000 m, 05.07– 10.08.2006, 1 ♂ (NMNHS), 17.10.2006 – 09.06.2007, 1 ♂ (NMNHS), 10.06– 02.07.2007, soil traps, N. Simov & M. Langourov leg., coniferous forest (Pinus heldreichii with undergrowth of Juniperus communis ssp. nana Syme). Remarks. Known from France, Italy, Central Europe and Romania (Nentwig et al. 2021; World Spider Catalog 2021). First record from the Balkans. All palps of the specimens from Bulgaria were twisted and expanded due to the soil trapping, but the shape (Figs 9A–C) of the palpal structures (Em, ED and RTA) fits well to the original description by Harm (1966)., Published as part of Naumova, Maria, Blagoev, Gergin & Deltshev, Christo, 2021, Fifty spider species new to the Bulgarian fauna, with a review of some dubious species (Arachnida: Araneae), pp. 228-257 in Zootaxa 4984 (1) on page 237, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4984.1.18, http://zenodo.org/record/4927030, {"references":["Harm, M. (1966) Die deutschen Hahniidae (Arach., Araneae). Senckenbergiana biologica, 47, 345 - 370.","World Spider Catalog (2021) World Spider Catalog. Version 21.5. Natural History Museum Bern. Available from: http: // wsc. nmbe. ch (accessed 28 February 2021) https: // doi. org / 10.24436 / 2"]}