Karakumosa turanica, Logunov & Ponomarev, 2020

Logunov, Dmitri V. & Ponomarev, Alexander V., 2020, Karakumosa gen. nov., a new Central Asian genus of fossorial wolf spiders (Araneae: Lycosidae: Lycosinae), Revue suisse de Zoologie 127 (2), pp. 275-313 : 303-305

Karakumosa turanica sp. nov.

Figs 155-168

Tarentula alticeps Kroneberg, 1875: 40 , pl. 4, fig. 28 (partim; misidentification of paralectotypes from Uzbekistan).

Lycosa alticeps (Kroneberg, 1875) . – Simon, 1899: 479. – Vlassov & Sytshevskaja, 1937: 250. – Mikhialov & Fet, 1994: 508 (misidentification of specimens from Ashgabat).

Holotype: ZISP; 1 male; TURKMENISTAN, [ Balkan Velayat ], between Serdar (=Kyzyl-Arvat) and Iskander (c. 39°03’N, 56°07’E); 6.VI.1936; leg. S. Nenyukov.

Paratypes: ZISP; 2 females; “ex vil. Melnikova” near Ashgabad (c. 37°59’N, 58°20’E); summer and autumn, 1933; collector unknown.

Other material: ZMMU, Ta-1215 ; 1 female (paralectotype of Tarentula alticeps ; Figs 165, 168 ); [ UZBEKISTAN], “Ulus” [c. 39°34’N, 66°22’E]; no date; [A.P.] Fedchenko (Turkestan scientific expedition of the Imperial Society of Devotees of Natural Science) . – ZMMU, Ta-1216 ; 1 subadult male, 3 immature females (paralectotypes of Tarentula alticeps ); [ UZBEKISTAN], Samarkand [c. 39°37’N, 66°57’E]; no date; leg. [A.P.] Fedchenko (Turkestan scientific expedition of the Imperial Society of Devotees of Natural Science) .

Etymology: The specific epithet is latinized adjective derived from the name ‘Turan’, a historic region of Central Asia.

Diagnosis: The male of K. turanica sp. nov. is most similar to that of K. alticeps , but can be easily distinguished by a markedly pointed and wider median shoulder of the proximal extension (narrower and obtuse in K. alticeps ; Fig. 161 cf. Fig. 2 and Fig. 12 ) and by the larger, quadrangular median tooth (smaller, triangular median tooth with a serrate prolateral edge in K. alticeps ; Fig. 164 cf. Figs 5-8 ). The female of K. turanica sp. nov. is most similar to that of K. zyuzini sp. nov., from which it can be distinguished by an anchor-shaped posterior transverse plate (parallel-sided in K. zyuzini sp. nov.; Figs 167-168 cf. Fig. 179 ) and by spermathecae directed anteriad (inclined antero-mediad in K. zyuzini sp. nov.; Figs 165-166 cf. Fig. 182 ).

Description: Male (holotype). Measurements: Carapace 10.70 long, 8.50 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.45, ALE 0.45, PME 1.20, PLE 1.15, AME-AME 0.35, AME-ALE 0.15, PME-PME 1.00, PME-PLE 2.15. Width of anterior eye row 2.35, of second row 3.15, of third row 3.80. Clypeus height 0.45; chelicera length 4.70. Abdomen 8.80 long, 5.80 wide. Length of leg segments: I 11.10 + 4.00 + 9.40 + 11.50 + 4.60 (40.60); II 10.80 + 4.40 + 8.50 + 10.50 + 4.60 (38.80); III 11.10 + 3.80 + 7.50 + 11.10 + 4.30 (37.80); IV 12.10 + 3.80 + 9.10 + 12.60 + 5.50 (43.10). Leg formula: IV, I, II, III.

Colouration in alcohol ( Figs 156-158 ): Specimen in poor condition, damaged, shabby, with some legs and left palp missing. Carapace dark brown, densely covered with yellowish white setae; colour pattern of longitudinal brown stripes indiscernible due to poor condition. Sternum brown, densely covered with yellowish white setae. Maxillae and labium yellowish brown. Chelicerae dark brown, their frontal and lateral sides densely covered with yellowish white setae. Abdomen: dorsum densely covered with grey yellowish setae, with a poorly marked brownish cardiac mark; the frontal part of abdomen brownish; sides and venter, including booklung covers, brownish, densely covered with yellowish white setae. Spinnerets yellow light brown. All legs light brown, densely covered with yellowish white setae. Palps yellow-orange-coloured, densely covered with yellowish white setae.

Palp structure ( Figs 161-164 ; mirrored image of right palp): Acutely pointed synembolic lamellae markedly convergent towards each other; median tooth large and wide; proximal extension wide and pointed at its median angle, distance between proximal extension and median tooth narrow, equal to or less than a proximal extension width; inner plate rather narrow, almost hidden beneath outer plate; conductor triangular, pointed at its tip.

Female (paratype). Measurements: Carapace 12.60 long, 9.60 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.55, ALE 0.60, PME 1.25, PLE 0.65, AME-AME 0.30, AME-ALE 0.15, PME-PME 1.40, PME-PLE 2.60. Width of anterior eye row 2.90, of second row 3.60, of third row 4.35. Clypeus height 0.45; chelicera length 6.60. Abdomen 10.00 long, 8.60 wide. Length of leg segments: I 10.00 + 4.60 + 8.00 + 7.50 + 4.00 (34.10); II 9.50 + 4.40 + 6.90 + 7.60 + 4.00 (32.40); III 8.50 + 3.90 + 6.30 + 7.70 + 3.80 (30.20); IV 10.80 + 4.50 + 8.30 + 11.00 + 4.70 (39.30). Leg formula: IV, I, II, III.

Colouration in alcohol ( Figs 159-160 ): Carapace brown, densely covered with yellowish white setae, without two longitudinal paramedian bands of brownish setae; carapace margins with wide bands of yellowish white setae. Sternum brown, densely covered with yellowish white setae. Maxillae and labium brown, with yellowish tips. Chelicerae dark brown, proximal part of frontal side densely covered with yellowish white setae. Abdomen: dorsum brownish, densely covered with yellowish white setae, with a poorly marked brownish cardiac mark; sides and venter, including book-lung covers, densely covered with yellowish white setae. Spinnerets brown. All legs and palps brownish yellow, densely covered with white setae; tips of all leg tarsi darker (brown). Palps with a claw at their tips.

Epigyne and vulva ( Figs 165-168 ): Epigynal atrium twice as long as wide, with slightly sigmoid lateral edges; posterior transverse plate narrow, anchor-shaped, its posterior margin widely procurved; spermathecae tubeshaped and straight, directed anteriad.

Comments: Male and female specimens of K. turanica sp. nov. were not collected together and hence are matched provisionally, on the ground that (1) both sexes were collected from lowland sites of Turkmenistan lying relatively close to each other ( Fig. 155 ), and (2) two other Karakumosa species known from the plains of Turkmenistan ( K. badkhyzica sp. nov. and K. repetek sp. nov.; Fig. 76 ) are described from both sexes collected together; these are distinct from K. turanica sp. nov.

The female paralectotype of K. alticeps ( Figs 165, 168 ) turned out to be conspecific with female paratypes of K. turanica sp. nov. ( Figs 166-167 ), and therefore its record from Samarkand is included in the account of K. turanica sp. nov. See also ‘Comments’ above under K. alticeps .

Distribution: Known from a few localities in Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan ( Fig. 155 ), but it is believed that the species is more widespread across the plains of Central Asia, within the so-called Turan zoogeographic province (sensu Kryzhanovsky, 2002). Besides, some of the old records of Lycosa alticeps from Turkmenistan by Schmidt (1895) could also belong to this species: viz., the records from Uch-Adzhi (c. 38°05’N, 62°48’E) and Turkmenbashi (c. 40°02’N, 52°59’E).

Figures

Fig. 155. Localities of four species in the genus Karakumosa gen. nov.

Figs 156-160. Karakumosa turanica sp. nov., male holotype (156-158) and female paratype (159-160). (156, 160) Body, dorsal view. (157, 159) Ditto, ventral view. (158) Ditto, lateral view. Scale bars 1 cm.

Figs 161-168. Karakumosa turanica sp. nov., male holotype (161-164), female paratype (166-167) and paralectotype of Tarentula alticeps newly identified as K. turanica (165, 168). (161) Bulbus, ventral view. (162) Ditto, retrolateral view. (163) Synembolus, apical view. (164) Median tooth of MA, posterior view. (165-166) Vulva, dorsal view. (167-168) Epigyne, ventral view. Scale bars 0.25 mm (161-162, 166), 0.2 mm (165, 167-168), 0.1 mm (163-164).

Figs 2-11. Karakumosa alticeps (Kroneberg, 1875), left male palp; specimens from Chu river valley (2-4, 7-11) and Karamola Mt. (5- 6). (2, 9) Bulbus, ventral view. (3, 11) Ditto, retrolateral view. (4) Embolic division, ventral view. (5-8) Median tooth of MA, proximal view. (10) Bulbus, apical view. Scale bars 0.25 mm (2-3), 0.1 mm (4-11). Abbreviations as explained in Material and methods.

Figs 12-21. Karakumosa alticeps (Kroneberg, 1875); male specimens from Tartogay Vil. (12-15) and Zhankel’ Vil. (16), and the male lectotype (17-21). (12, 17) Left bulbus, ventral view. (13, 20) Ditto, retrolateral view. (14, 19) Ditto, posterior view. (15, 16) Left male palp, retrolateral view. (18) Left bulbus, apical view. (21) Original data labels of the lectotype. Scale bars 0.5 mm (15, 16), 0.2 mm (12-14, 17-20). Abbreviations as explained in Material and methods.

Figs 173-186. Karakumosa zyuzini sp. nov., male paratype (173-176, 178, 180-181, 183-186) and female paratype (177, 179, 182), in MMUE. (173-174, 176) Bulbus, ventral view. (175) Embolic division. (177) Left female chelicera, ventral view. (178) Bulbus, retrolateral view. (179) Epigyne, ventral view. (180-181, 183-186) Median tooth of MA, posterior view. (182) Vulva, dorsal view. Scale bars 0.5 mm (173, 176-179), 0.25 mm (182), 0.2 (174), 0.1 mm (175, 180-181, 183-186).

Fig. 76. Localities of five species in the genus Karakumosa gen. nov.