The first report on the spider fauna (Arachnida: Araneae) of the Lut Desert, Iran

Abstract

― The first inventory of the spider fauna of the Lut Desert, known as one of the hottest deserts in the world, is provided. Spiders collected during the Iranian Biological Expedition in November 2016 are reported. We identified 15 species belonging to 12 families, including the new species, Oecobius fahimii sp. n. (female, Oecobiidae), which is described and illustrated here. In addition, three species – Devade tenella (Tyshchen-ko 1965) (Dictynidae), Gnaphosa ukrainica Ovtsharenko, Platnick et Song 1992 and Haplodrassus caspius Ponomarev et Belosludtsev 2008 (both Gnaphosidae) – are reported from Iran for the first time.