First records of Saitis tauricus (Araneae: Salticidae) from Italy in South Tyrol.

From 2016 to 2018, four males of Saitis tauricus Kulczyński, 1905 were recorded in the northernmost province of Italy, Bozen - South Tyrol. These findings were made by chance in urban areas of the capital city of Bozen/Bolzano and the city of Meran/Merano, and represent the first findings of this species for South Tyrol and Italy. No females were recorded so far. Photos of the habitus and pedipalps are given. We assume that the specimens could have been imported several times from Balkan countries such as Bulgaria, Greece, Macedonia and Turkey, or from Hungary. They may have formed a short-time population of S. tauricus for South Tyrol, as the findings of the males were made in three consecutive years. These findings are very similar to those of S. barbipes in Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands. More investigations are needed to understand how this species arrived in the area of South Tyrol and if it has established successfully. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]