Contribution to the knowledge of the spider fauna of Morocco (Arachnida: Araneae) – Third note. On sixteen new species, and noteworthy records.

Abstract. We present the latest results of our studies on spiders in Morocco, based on material sampled between 2021 and 2025. A total of eight caves were surveyed in the Tazekka NP and the Beni Snassen massif. Several other habitats were also surveyed (e.g., coastal habitats, mixed forests, arid stony grasslands, shrubby slopes, lapiaz, etc.). In total, 40 species belonging to 10 families were recorded. Sixteen species are described as new to science: Agelescape atlas Lecigne sp. nov.; Berlandina campestris Lecigne Dysdera asaahil Lecigne sp. nov.; D. sidimaafa Lecigne sp. nov.; Gorbiscape dayetchiker Lecigne sp. nov.; G. hichamelguerrouji Lecigne sp. nov.; G. littoralis Lecigne sp. nov.; Nomisia tazekka Lecigne sp. nov.; Oecobius diafa Lecigne O. tiznit Lecigne sp. nov.; Scotophaeus amicitiae Lecigne, Moutaouakil Zelotes pax Lecigne Z. rex Lecigne sp. nov.; Z. subcallidus Lecigne sp. nov.; two of which may be considered troglophile, i.e., Lycosoides jlida Lecigne sp. nov. or troglobitic, i.e., Lepthyphantes s. lat. ntafaghi Lecigne sp. nov. The males of Diplocephalus bosmansi Lecigne, 2025 and Lepthyphantes noeli Barrientos Liocranum atlasicum Zamani Mogrus sahariensis Berland Pecado impudicus (Denis, 1945) or Zodarion maghrebense Bosmans & Benhalima, 2020. It was found that Tetragnatha nitens (Audouin, 1826) (Lecigne et al. 2025: 146, fig. 90c–e) was misidentified and this record refers to Tetragnatha bogotensis Keyserling, 1865. The species is new to Morocco. Zodarion camillae Lecigne, 2025 was transferred to Acanthinozodium Denis, 1966 and a new combination was established: A. camillae (Lecigne, 2025) comb. nov. Zelotes scrutatus (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1872) syn. nov. is synonymised with Zelotes erythrocephalus (Lucas, 1846).