Spinestis nikita, Saaristo & Marusik, 2009

Saaristo, Michael & Marusik, Yuri, 2009, A new species and genus of oonopid spiders (Araneae, Oonopidae) from Ukraine, ZooKeys 24 (24), pp. 63-74 : 65-70

Spinestis nikita , sp. n.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:CED38B9B-AB38-4F9E-A64D-DD6ACFC86F68

Figs 1–10, 20–22

Material examined: Holotype ♁ and paratypes 2 ♀ with label “ UKRAINE, the Crimea, Nikita Vill., Nikitski Botanical Garden , 44°30´N 34°14´E, 5–70m, 11.03.2002 leg.

Ι St 2 3 La St La 4 Tr Se 5 Sp

Figures Ι–5. Copulatory organs of Spinestis nikita , sp. n.; Ι–3 – male palp, retrolateral, dorsal and pro- lateral views respectively 4–5 – endogyna after maceration, ventral view. Scales = 0.1 mm.

Yu. M. Marusik ” ( ZMMU). Other paratypes: 1 ♁ and 1 ♀ same data ( MZT AA 3.728 ) ; 1♁ ( ZMMU) “ UKRAINE, the Crimea, Cape Martyan Reserve , 44°30´N 34°15´E, 1–70m, 10.03.2002 leg. Yu. M. Marusik “ ; 1 ♁ and 1 ♀ ( ZMMU) “ UKRAINE, Crimea, env. of Balaclava, Aya Cape , 44°29´482˝N 33°36´579˝E, 170m, 14.03.2002 leg. Yu. M. Marusik ” .

Material was collected on open seashore slopes by sifting and hand picking among leaf and conifer needles. The exact habitat is unclear because this species was collected together with numerous Oonops pulcher Templeton, 1835 (sensu Thaler 1981), from which it seems indistinguishable in the field.

Etymology. The specific name is derived from the type locality - Nikita Village.

Diagnosis. As for genus.

Description. Both sexes with uniform pale orange coloration (Figs 6–7), lacking any pattern. After some years in alcohol a translucent pattern appeared on the dorsal and ventral aspects of the abdomen (Fig. 6). Carapace almost as wide as long, rather

Figures 6–Ι0. Habitus of Spinestis nikita , sp. n.; 6– 7 female and male, respectively, dorsal view 8– 9 female, ventral and lateral view respectively; Ι0 male, ventral view. Scales (if indicated) = 0.1 mm.

high, highest point in the posterior third (Fig. 9). Clypeus low, less than ½ of ALE diameter. Median eyes largest. Sternum shield-like (Fig. 10), unmodified, not touching the carapace. Female palp unmodified (Fig. 9). Male maxillae elongate (Fig. 10). Legs rather long, femora subequal to or longer than the carapace. Spines present on legs I and II. Femur I with 2 prolateral spines, tibiae I-II with 6 pairs of ventral spines, metatarsi I-II with 2 pairs of ventral spines (Fig. 9).

Palp as in Figs 1–3, 10, 20–21, relatively long, cymbium large, as long as tibia, longer than patella. Size of bulbus subequal to length of tibia+cymbium. Bulbus conical, gradually tapering, without a clear division between the bulb itself (tegulum) and the psembolus. Psembolus with fixed stylus (St), sharply turned (as if appearing to be broken) backwards-retrolaterally, tip of stylus slightly bent, without distinct barb. Psembolus rather simple, without any spines, with one thin membranous semiround lamella (La), more easily observed in dorsal view.

Figures ΙΙ–Ι4. Habitus of Tapinesthis inermis from Belgium. ΙΙ–Ι 2 male and female, respectively, dorsal view Ι3–Ι 4 male and female, respectively, ventral view.

Female genital area lacking outgrowths, depressions or distinct pattern (Figs 4–5, 22), with short translucent longitudinal band above the epigastric furrow. Hairs in the genital area sparse, long; thick, short ciliate hairs on postepigastric scutum absent. Internal part (visible after maceration) consists of a long tube-like structure (Se,

Figures Ι5–Ι9. Megaoonops avrona (paratypes). Ι 5 male, dorsal view Ι 6 female, frontal view Ι 7 male palp, prolateral Ι 8 male prosoma, frontal view Ι9 genital area of female.

spermathecae? sensu Burger et al. 2003) associated with a transverse plate. Behind the tube-like structure in the upper third is a transverse rectangular structure (anterior wall of the spermathecae? sensu Burger et al. 2003), seemingly connected to the tube. The rectangular structure is also associated with transverse chitinized “wings”. Tracheal spiracles (Sp) are situated far from the epigastric furrow, tracheae (Tr) rather thin.

Measurements: ♁ - Total length 1.67, carapace: 0.71 long, 0.66 wide, 0.3 high; abdomen: 0.97 long, 0.57 wide; carapace width/length ratio 0.92, carapace height/ length ratio 0.42, tibia I/carapace length ratio 0.9, femur IV/carapace length ratio

Figures 20–23. Copulatory organs after maceration of Spinestis nikita (20–22), sp. n. and Tapinesthis inermis (23, from Belgium) 20–2Ι male palp, prolateral and dorsal views respectively 22–23 endogyna. Scales (if indicated) = 0.2 mm.

1.14. Leg I: 0.71+0.29+0.64+0.51+0.29 = 2.44, Leg IV: 0.81+0.29+0.76+0.74+0.29 = 2.89, Chelicera 0.29 high, clypeus low, less than ½ of ALE diameter.

♀ - Total length 2.43, carapace 0.79 long, 0.71 wide, 0.33 high; abdomen: 1.31 long, 0.089 wide; carapace width/length ratio 0.91, carapace height/length ratio 0.42, tibia I/carapace length ratio 1.0, femur IV/carapace length ratio 1.1. Leg I: 0.74+0.29+0.79+0.53+0.29 = 2.63, Leg IV: 0.86+0.33+0.73+0.77+0.3 = 2.99.

Distribution. Southern shore of the Crimean Peninsula, Ukraine.