The spider genus Pterotricha in Iran, with the description of a new genus (Araneae, Gnaphosidae)

Abstract The spider genus Pterotricha Kulczyński, 1903 (Gnaphosidae) is surveyed in Iran. To date, three species of this genus were known in the country: P.loeffleri (Roewer, 1955), P.lentiginosa (C. L. Koch, 1837) and P.pseudoparasyriaca Nuruyeva & Huseynov, 2016. Here two new species are described, P.kovblyuki Zamani & Marusik, sp. n. (♂, western Iran) and P.montana Zamani & Marusik, sp. n. (♀, central and southwestern Iran), and P.cf.dalmasi Fage, 1929 (from Algeria to Jordan) is reported in Iran for the first time. Pterotrichatikaderi Gajbe, 1983 syn. n. (India) and P.loeffleri (Roewer, 1955), syn. n. are synonymized with P.strandi Spassky, 1936 (hitherto known from Turkmenistan only). The record of P.lentiginosa from Iran is apparently based on misidentification. A distribution map of the genus in Iran with new provincial records is provided. In addition, Iranotricha Zamani & Marusik, gen. n., a new genus closely related to Pterotricha, is described from southeastern Iran with the type species I.lutensis Zamani & Marusik, sp. n.