The specimens collected have somatic and genital characters that correspond well to those of the genus Agraecina Simon, 1932 (Araneae: Liocranidae). These include the presence of only two pairs of ventral spines on metatarsi I and II, simple genital organs (Bosmans 1999, Deltshev & Wang 2016), i.e. a weakly sclerotized epigyne with an ill-defined median septum, as well as small spermathecae, connected to a wide, longitudinally oriented copulatory duct (Bosselaers 2009).

Type material. Holotype: 1 ♀, MOROCCO: region of Souss-Massa, prefecture of Agadir Ida-Outanane, caïdat of Taghazout, county of Aqsri, village of Tizgui, Ifri Ouado cave (Imi Ougoug) (9.46710°W, 30.61229°N, 770 m a.s.l.), on stony ground (near a small stream), hand collecting, 30. Dec. 2019, leg. S. Moutaouakil (will be deposited in the SMF). Paratype: MOROCCO: same locality, 1 ♀, 30. Dec. 2019, leg. S. Moutaouakil (will be deposited in the SMF). Remark: opisthosoma and epigyne detached.

Other material examined. MOROCCO: same locality, 2 j, 28. Oct. 2019 (leg. L. Laadousse & S. Moutaouakil, coll. P. Oger) same locality, 1 j, 30. Oct. 2019 (leg. S. Moutaouakil, coll. P. Oger); same locality, 1 ♀, 29. Dec. 2019 (leg. S. Moutaouakil, coll. P. Oger).

Etymology. The name of the species refers to “Agadir”, the prefecture of the region of Morocco where it was discovered.

Diagnosis. Considering the somatic characteristics, the new species (Fig. 1a) most closely resembles A. cristiani in the lack of eyes and general colouration being light orange to pale yellowish (Figs 4a-c). The epigyne/vulva differs from all known species of the genus. However, the epigyne of the new species most closely resembles A. scupiensis, but the median septum is not strongly narrowing posteriorly and the openings (atriums) are not curved anteriorly. The vulva differs in the shape and the width of the sclerotized anterior margin of the atria and in the size of the spermathecae which are conspicuously less elongated anteriorly (Figs 4g-h, 5a-b).

Description. As mentioned in introduction, the somatic and genital characters of the new species correspond to those of the genus Agraecina.

Female

Measurements (n = 3) (min.–max. (average)). Total length 4.64-5.64 (5.23); prosoma: length 2.10–2.63 (2.39), width 1.57–1.97 (1.77), 1.35 times longer than wide; FL 0.35–0.48 (0.43), FL/PL 0.17–0.20 (0.18), anterior end 1.47–1.58 (1.52) from front edge of prosoma; SL 1.12–1.33 (1.24), SW 0.90–1.08 (1.01), SL/SW 1.23–1.24 (1.23).

Colour. General colouring whitish to pale yellow. Anterior edge of the prosoma and chelicerae darker, fovea brown.

Prosoma. Carapace: anterior part of the cephalic region with long setae, labium as long as wide.

Eyes. Completely absent.

Chelicerae. Basal segment with long setae on the anterointernal side, anterior margin with 3 teeth, largest one in the middle and distal smallest, posterior margin with 2 teeth (Fig. 4e), smallest proximal; fangs stout.

Legs. Length of legs order: IV/I/II/III. Tibiae I–II and metatarsi I–II with two pairs of ventral spines. Claws, number of teeth in the following order I/II/III/IV: 6/6/4/4. Pedipalp: tarsi ventrally with long and dense setae. Trochanters notched.

Opisthosoma. Surface covered with thin adpressed hairs.

Epigyne (Figs 4g, 5a). Only weakly sclerotized on the anterior margins of the A, median septum well-defined with parallel margins (Fig. 4g) that separates the two A. The latter large (greater length about 0.18, greater width about 0.12), their anterior margin oblique with the anterolateral edges directed forward. SP visible through integument.

Vulva (Figs 4h, 5b). SP inclined outwards at about 50°, relatively short (ratio length SP/ shorter length of the CO 0.78-0.85) (Fig. 4h, black dotted-lines), not or hardly curved, not touching in the middle.

Male

Unknown.

Distribution and habitat. Only known from the type locality (Tizgui, Morocco) (Fig. 3); in one cave (Imi Ougoug, Ifri Ouado) in the High Atlas Mountains (Fig. 2a).

Type material. Holotype: 1 ♂, MOROCCO: region of Souss-Massa, prefecture of Agadir Ida-Outanane, caïdat of Taghazout, county of Aqsri, village of Tizgui, Ifri N'Telmate cave (9.48244°W, 30.59978°N, 630 m a.s.l.), web between boulders (very dry cave), hand collecting, 27. Dec. 2019, leg. S. Moutaouakil (will be deposited in the SMF). Remark: left pedipalp detached. Paratype: 1 ♀, MOROCCO: region of Souss-Massa, prefecture of Agadir Ida-Outanane, caïdat of Taghazout, Paradise Valley, Ifri Taghrat Wankrim cave (9.51582°W, 30.59151°N, 380 m a.s.l.), same habitat, hand collecting, 4. Nov. 2019, leg. J. Lips (will be deposited in the SMF).

Other material examined. MOROCCO: same locality as holotype, Ifri N'Telmate cave (same coordinates), hand collecting, 1 ♂, 27. Dec. 2019 (leg. S. Moutaouakil, coll. P. Oger); same locality as the holotype, Ifri Imi Ougoug cave, “Grotte des Chauves-souris” area (between the entrance and the first lake) (9.46712°W, 30.61289°N, 780 m a.s.l.), web between boulders, hand collecting, 1 ♀, 28. Dec. 2019 (leg. J. Lips, coll. P. Oger); 1 ♀, same locality as paratype, Ifri Taghrat Wankrim cave (same coordinates), same habitat, hand collecting, 4. Nov. 2019 (leg. J. Lips, coll. P. Oger).

Etymology. The name of the species is derived from the word “Ifri” which, in the Maghreb, refers to a cave.

Diagnosis. Male palp of the new species most closely resembles S. triangulosa but, in prolateral view, the cymbium of the latter is about as long as the tibia; in S. ifricola the cymbium is distinctly longer than the tibia (Fig. 6e-g). Steatoda ifricola also differs by the presence of TTA 2 (Fig. 8b-c). The theridiid tegular apophysis of S. triangulosa shows a rounded base and the tip is hook-shaped; TTA 1 of S. ifricola is wide at the base but not rounded and the tip is barely bent (Fig. 8a,c). The embolus of S. triangulosa shows two parts, the second one is filiform and barely attains the height of the tegular apophysis while that of S. ifricola is evenly tapered and markedly extending beyond the tip of TTA 1 (Fig. 8c). Finally, male of S. ifricola can be separated from all other Steatoda species by the size and shape of both the two theridiid tegular apophyses, the conductor and the embolus.

The epigyne/vulva also shows some similarities with S. triangulosa, but the atrium of S. ifricola is larger and presents no interruption of its anterior margin (Fig. 7d-e); the spermathecae of S. ifricola are round, neither oval nor oblique (Fig. 7f, 8e). Steatoda grossa has a similar vulva but lacks the wide sclerotized median structure present in S. ifricola (Fig. 8d). The epigyne of S. trianguloides appears to be relatively simple (sensu Bosmans et al. 2019: Fig. 19c) and, unlike S. ifricola, it does not have a flattened ellipse-like atrium nor a sclerotized rim at posterior edge of the epigynal plate. Females (Fig. 7) can be distinguished from all other Steatoda species by the peculiar pattern and by the shape both of the epigyne (especially the large transverse atrium and the absence of median outgrowth or septum) and the wide sclerotized median structure separating the spermathecae.

Description. Specimens collected clearly belong to Steatoda (sensu Levy & Amitai 1982). The carapace is longer than wide, rugose in males, and with a distinct fovea. The male stridulatory ridges on the posterior part of carapace; the lateral eyes not separated. Chelicerae with one promarginal tooth. Legs I longest, legs III shortest. The opisthosoma nearly oval, longer than wide, in the male with sclerotized ridges above pedicel anteriorly. Opisthosoma purplish black with a white anterior belt and with additional dorsal pattern of spots (less marked in male).

Measurements (n = 2). Total length 3.3–3.5; prosoma: length 1.42–1.48, width 1.19–1.25, 1.19 times longer than wide; SL 0.94–0.97, SW 0.73–0.77, sternum distinctly longer than wide, SL/SW 1.26–1.29; CH 0.35–0.36; fe I 2.00–2.23 long.

Colour. Prosoma, chelicerae, sternum, labium and gnathocoxae light to deep brown, sternum darker at the edges; legs yellowish with vague darker areas (two in the distal half of femorae I and II, one in patellae as well as distally in tibiae and metatarsi).

Prosoma. Carapace with distinct granulation; fovea deep, round; chelicerae relatively slender, armed with one discrete promarginal tooth; sternum broadest between coxae I and II and extending beyond coxa IV where it widens markedly, finely punctuated with black at the insertion of the setae; labium triangular, evenly rounded anteriorly, 1.2 times wider than long.

Eyes. Anterior eye row recurved, posterior eye row straight.

Opisthosoma. With indistinct pattern, general cream colouring, with three more or less distinct median white spots, a brown band on the flanks running backwards over the spinnerets, ringed with brown; ventrally, a white spot behind the epigastric furrow surrounded by a dark band.

Palp (Figs 6e-g, 8a-c). Cymbium distinctly longer than pal-pal tibia (in prolateral view, ratio length of cymbium / maximum length of tibia about 1.6); cymbium 0.52 long; bulbus with two tegular apophyses, TTA 1 at prolateral side, very wide at the base (Fig. 8c), relatively short, barely extending beyond the distal edge of the bulbus, curved, the terminal part slightly pointing ventrally; TTA 2 at retrolateral side, base wide, extending below the embolus by a thin curved lamellar projection (Fig. 8b); embolus curved and almost reaching tip of cymbium (Fig. 8a); conductor membranous, ovoid in lateral views, with bluntly rounded tip reaching tip of cymbium; retrolateral distal edge of alveolus with internal projection (Fig. 8b-c).

Measurements (n = 3) (min.–max. (average)). Total length 3.9–4.1 (4.0); prosoma: length 1.70–1.99 (1.81), width 1.43–1.76 (1.55), 1.17 times longer than wide; SL 1.10–1.33 (1.20), SW 0.83–0.98 (0.88), sternum distinctly longer than wide, SL/SW 1.32–1.41 (1.36); CH 0.36; fe I 2.77–3.30 (3.04) long.

Colour. Prosoma sternum and chelicerae light brown, the latter darker apically, labium and gnathocoxae light brown (pale on their anterior edges), sternum darker at the edges; legs as in males. Opisthosoma (Fig. 7a-b) purple, dorsally with a white anterior belt and several series of white spots (one median line of three spots almost touching, two lateral lines consisting of three clearly separated spots, laterally one line of two spots (Fig. 1b) (sometimes less clearly visible); ventrally, a white spot behind the epigastric furrow (Fig. 7c).

Prosoma. Carapace smooth, cephalic part with long setae; fovea shallow; otherwise as in male.

Eyes. Anterior eye row recurved, posterior eye row slightly recurved.

Epigyne (Fig. 7d-e). Consisting of a large atrium wider than long (ratio width/length about 1.4), no septum, internal median structure visible through integument; posterior edge of epigynal plate dark brown, forming a strongly sclerotized rim (Fig. 7d, white arrow) with ridges posteriorly. This sclerotized structure does not reach the epigastric furrow.

Vulva (Fig. 7f). SP round, blackish and massive, separated by a wide sclerotized median structure, anteriorly with an arch made up of two segments.

Distribution and habitat. Only known from two nearby localities of Morocco (Fig. 3); in three natural dry caves in the High Atlas Mountains (Fig. 2b-d).