Specimens examined. EGYPT, Giza, mango orchard planted at the agricultural research centre (30.045708°N, 31.205698°E, 20 m a.s.l.). 12. Jan. 2023: 2 ♀♀, bark of mango trees. The same locality, 7. May 2023: 1 ♀, 3 juvs, 1 subadult ♂, matured on 13. May 2023, leaves of mango tree, leg. D. Abdel-Ghani.

Description of male (Figs 1-2). Total length: 6 mm. Carapace with a white median longitudinal stripe and two similar orange lateral stripes (as seen in fresh specimens after moulting to adult). Opisthosoma creamy-coloured, with an orange median longitudinal stripe and two similar lateral stripes (as seen in fresh specimens after moulting to adult). Four transverse broad blackish streaks (in alcohol-preserved specimens) (Fig. 1a). Legs yellowish, except from brownish patella, tibia, metatarsus, and tarsus of leg I (Fig. 1b). Palp with a long and flat femur, the ventral tibial branch of the apophysis long and slender, the dorsal tibial branch short and flattened (Fig. 2a-b).

Description of female (Figs 3-4). Total length: 5.3 mm. Prosoma longer than wide, carapace covered with white, black and orange hairs, longitudinal stripes along the eye field (Fig. 3a), posterior portion of the prosoma slightly sloping behind (Fig. 3c). Sternum oval with white dense hairs on the margin, narrowed in front. Chelicerae with one tooth on the inner margin and two on the outer margin (Fig. 3d). Opisthosoma covered with white and orange hairs forming a distinct pattern, posterior end with three black and a pair of white spots (Fig. 3a). Legs strong and stout, leg formula 4132 (Fig. 3b); tibiae, and metatarsi I with three spines and two pairs of ventral spines (Fig. 3e), metatarsi II with one spine and two pairs of ventral spines (Fig. 3f). Epigyne with large, oval fossae separated by median septum (Fig. 4a-b); copulatory openings in the posterior medial area. Female copulatory organs variable (possibly an artefact of slide preparation) (Fig. 4a-b).

Habitat. Rudakius ludhianaensis builds small silk retreats between leaves, which are open on one side. Along with this species, the following spider species were found in the same foliage: Cheiracanthium isiacum O. Pickard-Cambridge (1 ♂, 11 juvs), Euryopis episinoides (Walckenaer, 1847) (4 ♂♂, 1 ♀), Kochiura aulica (C. L. Koch, 1838) (4 ♂♂, 6 ♀♀), Latrodectus geometricus C. L. Koch, 1841 (1 ♀, 3 juvs), Poecilochroa pugnax (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1874) (1 ♀), Theridion incanescens Simon, 1890 (2 ♂♂, 3 ♀♀), T. spinitarse O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1876 (2 ♂♂, 4 ♀♀) and Uloborus plumipes Lucas, 1846 (1 ♀, 2 juvs). The most abundant species was C. isiacum, followed by K. aulica.

Distribution. As noted above, Rudakius ludhianaensis has been recorded from Iran, Pakistan, India (World Spider Catalog 2024) and now also Egypt (present data); it is thus reported from Egypt here for the first time (Fig. 5).

Note. Rudakius ludhianaensis can be distinguished from R. afghanicus using the following characters. In males of R. ludhianaensis, the embolus is thick and short and seems partially fused with the tegulum, a narrow cleft separates the embolus from the retrolateral hump of the tegulum. In females, differences are observed in the shape of the median septum, which is narrower anteriorly and widens medially and narrows posteriorly again in R. ludhianaensis. By contrast, it is wide anteriorly and medially, and narrows posteriorly in R. afghanicus.