Persiscape gen. n. Type species: Agelescape levyi Guseinov, Marusik & Koponen, 2005 from Azerbaijan. Etymology: A combination of Persia and scape, referring to the similarity with Agelescape. The gender is feminine. Diagnosis: Persiscape gen. n. differ from Agelescape by the number of the teeth on the promargin of the chelicera, 2 in the new genus and 3–4 in Agelescape. Males of this genus differ from those of Agelescape by having a complex embolus with a thumb-like base, a short embolus proper (stick- like portion) (not longer than tegular apophysis), an embolar lamellar process (Pe), conductor twisted around its axis with a thumb-like base and rounded tip (v. embolus unmodified, filamentous, longer than tegular apophysis, conductor gradually tapering, untwisted, with a sharp tip) and by the shape of the tegular apophysis in lateral view: apophysis straight, longer than wide, with parallel lateral margins and an abrupt tip (v. apophysis with diverging margins and rounded tip) (Figs. 6 A–C, E, I, 7B–C, 9A–F, 10A–F, 11A–F). Females of the two genera differ by the presence of wide and straight copulatory ducts and the receptacles subdivided into 2–3 globular chambers in the new genus (v. tube-like, bent, true copulatory ducts and an undivided receptacle in Agelescape) (Figs. 12 A–O). Persiscape gen. n. differs from Asiascape gen. n. by the presence of an embolar process (Pe) (v. absent) and globular receptacles subdivided into 2–3 chambers (v. tubular receptacles). Description: Total length: male 5.30–8.55, female 6.78– 11.20. Carapace length: male 2.50–4.25, female 2.30–4.30, width: male 1.60–3.00, female 1.90–3.00. Chelicera with 2 prolateral and 3 retrolateral teeth. Carapace and abdomen with distinct pattern (Figs. 1 A–B, 2A–C, 3C–D). Yellowish to reddish-brown, with two wide submarginal bands and a thin gray margin. Sternum grayish with yellow median stripe. Legs usually the same color as carapace, with obscure annulations in some species. Abdomen dark gray with a pattern of lighter spots dorsally, ventrally light gray. Spinnerets yellowish. Male palp (Figs. 6 A–C, E, I, 7B–C, 9A–F, 10A–F, 11A– F) with one patellar and one tibial apophysis. Tegular apophysis strongly sclerotized, broad, with abrupt or rounded tip in lateral view; conductor complex, with thumblike base and roundly bent lamellate terminal part (Ct); embolus complex, with thumb-like base wider than base of conductor, with a lamellar process and short or stick-like embolus proper. Epigyne (Figs. 12 A–O) with distinct fovea (atrium) and subdivided scape that is wider than long; copulatory opening hidden, originating laterad of scape, anterior portion of copulatory duct membranous, as long as wide; other part of copulatory duct straight, broad; receptacle subdivided into several globular chambers. Included species: Persiscape caspica sp. n., P. caucasica (Guseinov, Marusik & Koponen, 2005), P. ecbatana sp. n., P. gideoni (Levy, 1996), P. nassirkhanii sp. n., P. levyi, and P. zagrosensis sp. n. Based on the shape of the embolus, we consider two species groups in this genus: the levyi -group and the gideoni -group. Members of the former have a short spine- or claw-like embolus and include P. levyi, P. ecbatana sp. n., and P. caspica sp. n., and the latter have a stick-like embolus and include P. gideoni, P. nassirkhanii sp. n., and P. zagrosensis sp. n. Distribution: The genus is known from Lesbos, Central Anatolia, and Israel to Iran (western, northern, and southeastern) (Fig. 15).

{"references": ["GUSEINOV, E., MARUSIK, Y. M. & KOPONEN, S. 2005: Spiders (Arachnida: Aranei) ofAzerbaijan 5. Faunistic review of the funnelweb spiders (Agelenidae) with the description of a new genus and species. Arthropoda Selecta 14: 153 - 177.", "LEVY, G. 1996: The agelenid funnel-weaver family and the spider genus Cedicus in Israel (Araneae, Agelenidae and Cybaeidae). Zoologica Scripta 25: 85 - 122.", "DE BLAUWE, R. 1980: Revision de la famille des Agelenidae (Araneae) habitant la region mediterraneene (3 e partie). Bulletin de lIInstitut Royal des Sciences Naturelles de Belgique 52 (11): 1 - 28."]}

Published as part of Zamani, Alireza & Marusik, Yuri M., 2020, A review of Agelenini (Araneae: Agelenidae: Ageleninae) of Iran and Tajikistan, with descriptions of four new genera, pp. 368-386 in Arachnology 18 (4) on pages 372-373, DOI: 10.13156/arac.2020.18.4.368, http://zenodo.org/record/3925217