Een zeldzaam geval van epigyne duplicatie in de steppekampoot Zelotes petrensis (C.L. Koch, 1839) (Araneae: Gnaphosidae)

The encounter of an abnormally developed female specimen of Zelotes petrensis (C.L. Koch, 1839) in a pitfall trapping scheme at the National Park Sallandse Heuvelrug is reported here. The adult female showed two fully developed epigynes, lying side by side at the usual position at the basal part of the abdomen. No other malformations could be identified, and the specimen seemed to be in good condition. Earlier reports of similar reports of structural abnormalities suggest that the cause of this particular malformation was not due to a duplication of an abdominal segment, but due to either a duplication of the uterus or a lack of fusion of the two oviducts during development. Earlier reports of these abnormalities were confined to species belonging to the Lycosidae. To the knowledge of the author, this is the first documented case of a similar malformation in a species belonging to the Gnaphosidae.