Karakumosa gen. nov., a new Central Asian genus of fossorial wolf spiders (Araneae: Lycosidae: Lycosinae) Author Logunov, Dmitri V. The Manchester Museum, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M 13 9 PL, UK. Author Ponomarev, Alexander V. Southern Scientific Centre of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Chekhov street 41, Rostov-on-Don, 344006, Russia. E-mail: ponomarev 1952 @ mail. ru text Revue suisse de Zoologie 2020 127 2 275 313 journal article 118433 10.35929/RSZ.0021 0e9cc441-e337-4aca-bf79-d6335e798e0e 0035-418 5743710 Karakumosa shmatkoi sp. nov. Figs 103-141 , 155 Lycosa alticeps (Kroneberg, 1875) . – Schmidt, 1895: 450 (partim, misidentification). – Dunin, 1984: 55 . – Minoransky & Ponomarev, 1984: 85-86 (all misidentifications). “ Lycosa ” sp. 1. – Ponomarev & Abdurakhmanov, 2014: 92-93 . “ Lycosa ” sp. 2. – Ponomarev & Abdurakhmanov, 2014: 93 . Holotype : ZMMU ; male ( Figs 105-106 , 128, 132-133 ); KAZAKHSTAN , Atyrau Province , c. 20 km NE of Ganyushkino Vil. , Zhuzguntyube stow ( 46°43’1.4’’N , 49°25’32.1’’E ); 6.VII.1977 ; leg. F.A. Saraev. Paratypes : ZMMU ; 1 female ; same locality as for the holotype; 1.-10.VII.1977 ; leg. F.A. Saraev . – ISEA ; 2 males ; KAZAKHSTAN , Atyrau Province , Embinsk Distr. , near Tengiz ( 46°23’49.9’’N , 53°25’22.6’’E ); 8.VI.1986 ; leg. F.A. Saraev. – ZMMU ; 1 male ; KAZAKHSTAN , Atyrau Province , Embinsk Distr. , near Koschagyl ( 46°48’17.3’’N , 53°43’50’’E ); 19.- 24.VI.1987 ; leg. F.A. Saraev . – ZMMU ; 6 males ; KAZAKHSTAN , Mangistau Province , Mangyshlak , c. 10 km S of Fort Shevchenko , shore of Tyub-Karagan Peninsula ( 44°26’19.9’’N , 50°15’19.9’’E ), hilly sands, pitfall traps ; 17.VI.2013 ; leg. G.M. Abdurakhmanov . – ZMMU ; 3 males ; KAZAKHSTAN , Mangistau Province , Mangyshlak , Island Kulaly ( 44°53’31.4’’N , 50°03’13.2’’E ), fine hilly sands , hand collecting ; 19.VI.2013 ; leg. G.M. Abdurakhmanov . – MHNG ; 2 males ; same data . – PSU ; 1 male ; KAZAKHSTAN , Aktobe Province , c. 25 km ENE of Embi Vil ., Mugodzhary Mts (c. 48°57’N , 58°39’E ); 28.VI.2013 ; leg. A.O. Shkurikhin . – MMUE ; 1 male ; RUSSIA , Kalmykia , Yashkul Distr. , c. 55 km NE of Yashkul Vil ., near Utta Vil. ( 46°22’33.9’’N , 46°01’18.5’’E ), hilly sands with sparse vegetation ; 12.VI.1975 ; leg. A.V. Ponomarev . – ZMMU ; 2 males ; RUSSIA , Kalmykia , Chernozemel’sk Distr. , c. 65 km SE of Komsomol’sky Vil ., near Artezian Vil. ( 44°57’29.5’’N , 46°37’53.5’’E ); 1.-4.VII.1976 ; leg. E.A. Khachikov . Figs 93-102. Karakumosa repetek sp. nov. ; male holotype (97-98), male paratype (93-94, 99-102) and female paratype (95-96). (93-94, 98). Bulbus, ventral view. (95) Vulva, dorsal view. (96) Epigyne, ventral view. (97) Median tooth of MA, ventral view. (99) Embolic division, ventral view. (100) Median tooth of MA, posterior view. (101) Embolic division, apical view. (102) Bulbus, retrolateral view. Scale bars 0.5 mm (93, 96), 0.25 mm (94, 102), 0.2 mm (98), 0.1 mm (95, 97, 99-101). Abbreviations as explained in Material and methods. Figs 103-114. Karakumosa shmatkoi sp. nov. ; male holotype (105-106), male paratype (103-104, 107-112) and female paratype (113- 114); specimens from Kulaly Island (103-104, 109), Zhuzguntyube stow (105-106, 113-114), Mugodzhary Mts (107), Artezian Vil. (108, 110), Tengiz (111), Tyub-Karagan Peninsula (112). (103, 105, 113) Body, dorsal view. (104, 106, 114) Ditto, ventral view. (107-112) Median tooth of MA, posterior view. Scale bars 1 cm (103-106, 113-114), 0.1 mm (107-112). Figs 115-125. Karakumosa shmatkoi sp. nov. ; male paratypes (115-120, 123-125) and female paratype (121-122); specimens from Tyub-Karagan Peninsula (115-116, 118, 120, 123, 125), Island Kulaly (117), Zhuzguntyube stow (121-122) and Tengiz (119, 124). (115, 118-119) Bulbus, ventral view. (116) Embolic division. (117) Left male palp, ventral view. (120) Bulbus, retrolateral view. (121) Vulva, dorsal view. (122) Epigyne, ventral view. (123-125) Median tooth of MA, posterior view. Scale bars 0.25 mm (115, 117, 120, 122), 0.2 mm (118-119), 0.1 mm (116, 121, 123-125). Abbreviations as explained in Material and methods. Figs 126-135. Karakumosa shmatkoi sp. nov. ; male holotype (128, 132-133) and male paratype from Kalmykia, Utta Vil. (126-127, 129-131, 134-135). (126) Body, dorsal view. (127) Ditto, ventral view. (128, 134) Median tooth of MA, posterior view. (129) Embolic division. (130) Left male palp, ventral view. (131-132) Bulbus, ventral view. (133) Synembolus, apical view. (135) Bulbus, retrolateral view. Scale bars 1 cm (126-127), 0.5 mm (130-131, 135), 0.2 mm (132), 0.1 mm (128, 134). Figs 136-141. Karakumosa shmatkoi sp. nov. , female from Azerbaijan, Absheron peninsula. (136) Prosoma, frontal view. (137) Ditto, ventral view. (138) Ditto, lateral view. (139) Epigyne, ventral view. (140) Tarsus I, ventral view. (141) Tarsus IV, ventral view. Scale bars 2 mm (137-138), 1 mm (136), 0.5 mm (140-141), 0.2 mm (139). Other material: ZMMU ; 1 female ( Figs 136-141 ); AZERBAIJAN , Absheron Peninsula (no exact locality); no date and collector given. Etymology: The species is dedicated to our friend and colleague, Mr Vladimir Yu. Shmatko (Rostov-on-Don, Russia ), who has been collaborating with the second author (AVP) in spider studies for many years and who took the majority of digital photos of Karakumosa species given in the present paper. Diagnosis: The male of K. shmatkoi sp. nov. is most similar to those of K. gromovi sp. nov. ( Figs 59, 60, 64-69 ) and K. tashkumyr sp. nov. ( Figs 142-154 ); it can be distinguished from the former by the presence of a low serrate flange at the foot of the median tooth (absent in K. gromovi sp. nov. ; Figs 125 , 134 cf. Figs 74-75 ), and from the latter by a narrower inner plate of the median apophysis, which is almost hidden under the outer plate ( Figs 118-119 cf. Figs 148, 150 ) and by the shape of the synembolus ( Fig. 116 cf. Fig. 149 ). In the sigmoid lateral edges of the epigynal atrium, the female is similar to those of K. repetek sp. nov. ( Figs 95-96 ) and K. zyuzini sp. nov. ( Figs 179, 182 ), from which it differs in the shape of the posterior transverse plate (developed as a low, inverted triangle; Fig. 122 cf. Fig. 96 and Fig. 179 ) and by the spermathecae being visibly swollen ( Fig. 121 cf. Fig. 95 and Fig. 182 ). See also comments above under ‘Diagnosis’ of K. alticeps . Description: Male ( holotype ). Measurements : Carapace 11.00 long, 9.30 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.45, ALE 0.40, PME 0.90, PLE 0.90, AME-AME 0.38, AME-ALE 0.15, PME-PME 1.20, PME-PLE 1.15. Width of anterior eye row 2.25, of second row 2.95, of third row 3.65. Clypeus height 0.35; chelicera length 4.00. Abdomen 10.50 long, 7.20 wide. Length of leg segments: I 10.00 + 5.00 + 9.80 + 10.00 + 4.80 (39.60); II 11.00 + 4.50 + 9.50 + 10.30 + 4.90 (40.20); III 10.00 + 3.80 + 7.60 + 9.80 + 4.20 (35.40); IV 12.00 + 4.10 + 9.70 + 13.50 + 5.40 (44.70). Leg formula: IV, II, I, III. Colouration in alcohol ( Figs 103-106 , 126-127 ): Carapace dark brown, densely covered with yellowish white setae, without two wide brownish longitudinal paramedian bands. Sternum yellow-orange-coloured, densely covered with white setae. Maxillae and labium yellowish brown, with yellow tips. Chelicerae dark brown, their frontal and lateral sides densely covered with yellowish white setae. Abdomen: dorsum densely covered with white setae, with an indistinct cardiac mark outlined by brown lines; sides and venter yellow, densely covered with white setae. Book-lung covers yellow, densely covered with white setae. Spinnerets white. All legs yellow brownish, densely covered with white setae; metatarsi and tarsi of all legs ventrally darker (brown). Palp yellow, densely covered with white setae. Palp structure ( Figs 107-112 , 115-120, 123-125 , 128- 135 ): Acutely pointed synembolic lamellae visibly convergent; median tooth developed as a large median claw with additional small teeth on its prolateral side and a prominent serrate ventral flange; proximal extension wide and hook-shaped; distance between proximal extension and median tooth wide, equal to two proximal extension widths; inner plate large, transverse-ovoid, its retrolateral shoulder extended and bent ventrad; conductor triangular, obtuse at its tip (pointed in other specimens). Female ( paratype ). Measurements : Carapace 11.50 long, 8.60 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.45, ALE 0.35, PME 1.15, PLE 1.00, AME-AME 0.30, AME-ALE 0.18, PME-PME 1.20, PME-PLE 1.45. Width of anterior eye row 2.00, of second row 3.15, of third row 3.90. Clypeus height 0.50; chelicera length 4.85. Abdomen 14.00 long, 11.00 wide. Length of leg segments: I 9.80 + 4.10 + 7.00 + 6.20 + 3.50 (30.60); II 8.70 + 3.50 + 6.70 + 6.30 + 3.60 (28.80); III 8.00 + 3.60 + 5.80 + 6.80 + 3.60 (27.80); IV 10.00 + 4.50 + 7.00 + 9.50 + 3.90 (34.90). Leg formula: IV, I, II, III. Colouration in alcohol ( Figs 113, 114 ): Damaged and shabby specimen with abdomen detached from carapace. Carapace brown, densely covered with yellowish white setae and with two longitudinal lateral bands of brownish setae; carapace sides with wide marginal bands of white setae. Sternum brownish, densely covered with white setae. Maxillae and labium brown, with yellowish tips. Chelicerae dark brown, proximal half of frontal side densely covered with yellowish white setae. Abdomen: dorsum densely covered with yellowish white setae and with a large, wide, brownish cardiac mark; sides and venter, including book-lung covers, densely covered with white setae. Spinnerets brown. All legs and palps brownish yellow, densely covered with white setae. Palps with a claw at their tips. Epigyne and vulva ( Figs 121-122 , 139 ): Epigynal atrium twice as long as wide, with markedly sigmoid lateral edges (almost S-shaped); posterior transverse plate developed as a low, inverted triangle, its central part slightly elevated and pointed backwards; spermathecae straight and visibly swollen in anterior portion, directed antero-mediad, inclined towards each other. Comments: The males of K. shmatkoi sp. nov. examined display a noticeable variation in the shape of the proximal extension of the pedipalp which has either an obtuse ( Fig. 132 ) or pointed ( Figs 118-119 ) median shoulder. In the latter case, the proximal extension varies in its width, being visibly narrower ( Fig. 118 ) or wider ( Fig. 119 ). It is possible that more than one closely related species are here placed under the name of K. shmatkoi sp. nov. Unfortunately, the available material does not allow us to scrutinize the problem further; currently only one variety is known from both sexes. The problem needs special attention in the future when more material of both sexes from a larger number of localities is available. Distribution: Known from two localities in Kalmykia , Russia ( Minoransky & Ponomarev, 1984 : sub Lycosa alticeps ; present data), and from several localities in western Kazakhstan ( Ponomarev & Abdurakhmanov 2014 : sub “ Lycosa ” sp. 1 & “ Lycosa ” sp. 2; present data) and Azerbaijan ( Absheron Peninsula, Baku and Chilov Island) ( Schmidt, 1895 ; Dunin, 1984 : sub L. alticeps ; present data) ( Fig. 155 ).