First description of the female of the spider Savignia zero Eskov , 1988 ( Araneae : Linyphiidae )

Savignia is a relatively large and well defined Holarctic spider genus (see Eskov 1988). It includes 23 species, of which seven are known by males only (Platnick 2009). Thirteen species, including many endemics, have been recorded from the Far East Palaearctic (Eskov 1991). While studying collections of the Senckenberg Museum Frankfurt we found one sample that contained males and previously unknown females of S. zero Eskov, 1988. The aim of this paper is to provide an illustrated description of the female including detailed comparisons with S. birostra (Chamberlin & Ivie, 1947) and S. saitoi Eskov, 1988. These species (together with S. nenilini Marusik, 1988) were considered as most similar to S. zero by Eskov (1988) and all four occur in the Far East Palaearctic. Specimens were examined and illustrated in 80% ethanol or glycerol gelatine (C3H8O3) using a Leica MZ18 stereo microscope and an Axioplan 2 compound microscope, both equipped with a camera lucida. Colour descriptions refer to Pantone Color Formula Guide on uncoated paper. Scanning electron micrographs were taken with a JEOL JSM-5200 in the Zoological Museum, University of Turku. All measurements are in mm.