A review of the mygalomorph spiders of the Raveniola caudata species-group (Araneae, Nemesiidae)
Author
Zonstein, Sergei
text
Zootaxa
2009
2217
37
42
journal article
10.5281/zenodo.189956
d4e9e4e4-6260-4446-8ae7-16e1f2f6f965
1175-5326
189956
Raveniola caudata
sp. n.
Figures 1, 3, 5, 6
,
8
.
Material examined.
Holotype
:
3, western slope of Mt Astana, highest point of Pyandzh Karatau Mt. Ridge (
1701 m
),
1.5 km
SW of summit, forested bottom of rocky canyon at altitude
1020 m
,
37°22'49"N
69°12'50"E
, South
Tajikistan
,
24.IV.1991
, leg. S.V. Ovchinnikov (
TAUI
).
Additional material examined:
TAJIKISTAN
: Aruktau Mts., surroundings of Gandzhina,
700-800 m
,
37°58'N
68°34'E
,
16.IV.1968
, leg. V.F. Bakhvalov,
1 juv.
(
TAUI
); Vakhsh Karatau Mt. Ridge,
3 km
NW Mt Khodzhamaston,
940 m
,
38°01'22"N
68°56'50"E
,
21.IV.1989
, leg. S.L. Zonstein 13 (
TAUI
).
Diagnosis:
The new species differs from
R. redikorzevi
by the almost indistinct dorsal abdominal pattern and the leg tarsi lack laterodistal tufts of scopuliform hairs. Males of
R. caudata
sp. n.
differ from those of
R. redikorzevi
by their relatively longer legs, broader spaced megaspines, more slender palpal tibia and cymbium, and shorter embolus as well as by details of the embolic keel and tip.
Description:
(male
holotype
). Total body length including chelicerae 19.30. Color in alcohol: carapace (
Fig. 1
), palps and legs dark brownish-rufous; carapace with numerous dense and partially fused lighter polkadots on slightly darker background; eye tubercle with central and two symmetrical lateral brownish-black spots surrounding AME and lateral eyes respectively; chelicerae brownish-red; sternum, labium and maxillae light brown; metatarsi and tarsi gradually lighten toward apices; entire abdomen light yellowish gray, dorsally with almost indistinct darker pattern represented by few very weakly developed pairs of posteriorly-inclined grayish fasciae; spinnerets uniformly light yellowish gray. Carapace: length 7.13, width 6.27, covered, except marginal setae, with sparse short and thin brownish-black bristles, and with relatively scarce pubescence consisting of very short, tiny and adpressed brownish-black hairs. Clypeus narrow. Eye tubercle moderately high, occupies
ca
. 0.35 of clypeus width. Ratio of AME, ALE, PLE, PME: 16, 28, 16, 12. Interspaces: AME–AME 16, ALE–AME 6, ALE–PLE 6, PLE–PME 4, PME–PME 43. Thoracic fovea short and straight. Chelicerae: furrow with 10 promarginal teeth and 5 mesobasal denticles. Labium (
Fig. 3
): length 0.57, width 1.26; cuspules absent. Maxillae (
Fig. 3
): 52–57 cuspules in large triangle area; serrula absent. Sternum (
Fig. 3
): length 3.52, width 3.21. Paired sternal sigillae small, rounded, submarginal. Legs. Measurements (femur, patella, tibia, metatarsus, tarsus, total, mm). Palp: 4.23, 2.27, 3.46, –, 1.35, 11.31. I: 6.32, 3.65, 5.03, 5.27, 3.10, 23.37. II: 6.22, 3.23, 4.98, 5.02, 3.03, 22.48. III: 5.55, 2.88, 4.10, 5.87, 3.27, 21.67. IV: 6.97, 3.25, 5.53, 7.70, 3.73, 27.18. Spination. Palp: Fm d1–1–1–1, pd1–2, rd1–1; Pt p1–1; Tb d1–1–1–1, p1–1–1, r1–1,
v1–1
–1–1; Tr d5(6). Leg I: Fm d1–1–1–1, pd1–1–1, rd1–1–1; Pt p1–1; Tb p2(1)–1(0),
v2–1
–1–m–m+1(0); Mt
v1.
Leg II: Fm d1–1–1–1, pd1–1–1; Pt p1–1; Tb p1–1–1,
v3
(2)–2(1)–3; Mt p1;
v2–2
–2. Leg III: Fm d1–1–1–1, pd1–1–1, rd1–1–1; Pt p1–1, r1; Tb d1–1, p1–1, r1–1,
v2–1
(2)–3(2); Mt d1–1, p1–1–1, r1–1,
v2–2
(1)–1–3. Leg IV: Fm d1–1– 1–1, pd1–1–1–1(0), rd1–1–1; Pt p1–1, r1; Tb d1–1(0)–1, p1–1–1, r1(0)–1–1,
v2–2
–3; Mt d1–1–1, p1–1–1, r1–1–1,
v2–1
–1–1(0)–2–3. Megaspines more or less widely spaced (
Fig. 5
). Leg tarsi aspinose. Scopula: distal 1/3 on metatarsi I–II, entire on tarsi I–II, widely divided by setae on tarsi III, absent on tarsi IV. Paired claws: outer and inner margins with 8–11 teeth each. Trichobothria: 2 rows of 9–12 on tibiae, 13–15 on metatarsi, 15–18 on tarsi, 9–10 on cymbium. Palpus (
Fig. 8
). Genital area with
ca.
60 large epiandrous fusillae. PMS: length 0.75; diameter 0.28. PLS: maximal diameter 0.65; length of basal, medial and apical segments 1.22, 0.85, 1.23; total length 3.30; apical segment digitiform.
Female:
Unknown.
Variability:
Carapace length in males varies from 7.13–7.50. The difference in the coloration between both males is almost indistinct.
Etymology:
The specific epithet is derived from Latin
caudatus
– long-tailed; it emphasizes the length of the PMS, which are unusually long for the congeners.
Distribution:
South
Tajikistan
: foothills and low mountains surrounding and bordering Tajik depression.
Ecology:
The species inhabits open low forest biotopes (
Pistacea vera
L.,
Acer
spp.,
Amygdalus
spp.,
Cercis griffithii
Boiss.
). Males were found under rocks, the only juvenile specimen was found, according to the original label data, inside a gerbil's burrow.