Raveniola ferghanensis (Zonstein, 1984)

Figs 19, 54, 75, 80–81, 101, 128, 156, 186, 220, 247, 278–279, 340–342, 370, 439–440, 485, 534–536, 597–600, 715–716, 756

Brachythele ferghanensis Zonstein, 1984b: 43, figs 7–12 (♂ ♀).

(?) Cyrtauchenius walckenaeri – Kroneberg 1875: 28 (♀) (misidentified, not Cyrtocephalus walckenaeri Lucas, 1846: Zonstein 1985: 159).

Amblyocarenum walckenaeri – Charitonov 1932: 14. — Spassky 1952: 195. — Mikhailov 1996: 77 (as synonym); 2013: 12 (noted as misidentification).

Brachythele ferghanensis – Zonstein 1985: 159.

Raveniola ferghanensis – Zonstein 1987: 1015; 2002c: 174. — Platnick 1989: 91. — Zonstein et al. 1996: 133. — Mikhailov 1996: 77; 1997: 20; 2013: 12. — Logunov & Gromov 2012: 220 — Zonstein et al. 2018b: 73, 78, figs 145, 166 (♂).

Diagnosis

Raveniola ferghanensis is well distinguishable from all other species of the virgata group. Males possess a very long embolus that noticeably exceeds the tegulum in its length (vs subequal in length in other species; Figs 439–440 cf. Figs 441–465). Females can be distinguished by the characteristic shape of the spermathecae, where an elongate inner branch (i.e., a distal section of the trunk) appears to be considerably longer than the lateral diverticulum (vs shorter than the latter or both branches are subequal in length; Figs 534–536 cf. Figs 537–554). Additionally, R. ferghanensis is the largest member of the group. Unlike other group members, this obligate bothrobiont species lives in burrows; it can be encountered only in lowland subarid and arid biotopes.

Material examined

Holotype

KYRGYZSTAN • ♂; Fergana Mts (southwestern slope), foothills 1.6 km E of Jalal-Abad City; 40°55.9′ N, 73°02.0′ E; 950 m a.s.l.; 8 Apr. 1982; S. Zonstein leg.; ZISP.

Paratypes (7 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀)

KYRGYZSTAN • 2 ♂♂, 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; 900–1000 m a.s.l.; 8–10 Apr. 1982; S. Zonstein leg.; SMNH • 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; ZISP • 2 ♂♂; same collection data as for preceding; 29 Apr. 1982; S. Zonstein leg.; SMNH • 3 ♂♂; same collection data as for preceding, foothills 5 km W of Jalal-Abad City; 40°57′ N, 72°54′ E; 900–1200 m a.s.l.; 7 Apr. 1982; S. Zonstein and S.V. Ovchinnikov leg.; SMNH .

Additional material (6 ♂♂, 9 ♀♀, 2 ♀♀ subad., 3 juvs)

KAZAKHSTAN • 1 ♀ subad.; hills west of Kaplanbek (also Kabylanbek) Town; 41°30′ N, 69°16′ E; 450–500 m a.s.l.; 30 Mar. 1983; A.B. Nenilin and S.V. Ovchinnikov leg.; SMNH .

KYRGYZSTAN • 2 juvs; Chatkal Mts (southern slope), foothills 3 km NNE of Tash-Kumyr; 41°22.6′ N, 72°14.7′ E; 700 m a.s.l.; 23 Jun. 1992; S. Zonstein leg.; SMNH • 6 ♂♂, 5 ♀♀; environs of Jalal-Abad City; 19 Oct. 1992; S. Zonstein and D.A. Milko leg.; SMNH .

TAJIKISTAN • 1 ♀; Turkestan Mts (northern slope), foothills south of Konibodom City (40°18′ N, 70°26′ E); 500–700 m a.s.l.; 15 Jun. 1968; V.F. Bahvalov leg.; SMNH .

UZBEKISTAN • 2 ♀♀ (fragmented); Fergana Valley, near Kokand City; [40°32′ N, 70°57′ E]; 500 m a.s.l.; 1–30 Jun. 1871; A.P. Fedchenko leg.; ZMMU • 1 juv.; environs of Ferghana City; [40°23′ N, 71°47′ E]; 600 m a.s.l.; 14 May 1981; D.M. Schwetz leg.; SMNH • 1 ♀; foothills east of Andijan City; 40°49′ N, 72°27′ E; 500–600 m a.s.l.; 6 Apr. 1988; S. Zonstein leg.; SMNH • 1 ♀ subad.; foothills of Qurama Mts near Uigursai Canyon, 10 km NNW of Pap Town; 40°57′ N, 71°02′ E; 600–650 m a.s.l.; 12 Apr. 2018; S. Zonstein leg.; SMNH .

Redescription

Male (holotype)

HABITUS. See Fig. 19.

MEASUREMENTS. TBL 16.70, CL 7.17, CW 6.33, LL 0.52, LW 0.99, SL 3.51, SW 2.98.

COLOUR. Carapace, all femora and patellae, tibiae I–II and metatarsus I brownish orange; eye tubercle blackish brown; chelicerae and maxillae light red; sternum, labium, leg coxae, palpal tibia and cymbium, tibiae III–IV, metatarsi II–IV and tarsi I–IV light yellowish orange; labiosternal and sternal sigilla medium reddish brown; abdomen light grayish yellow, with darker brown chevron-like dorsal pattern; book-lungs and spinnerets pale yellowish brown.

CEPHALOTHORAX. Carapace and chelicerae as shown in Fig. 101. Clypeus and eye group as in Fig. 156. Eye diameters and interdistances: AME 0.20(0.28), ALE 0.33, PLE 0.23, PME 0.17; AME–AME 0.21(0.13), ALE–AME 0.14(0.10), ALE–PLE 0.11, PLE–PME 0.04, PME–PME 0.47. Anterior cheliceral edge only with slightly thickened setae; rastellum not developed. Each cheliceral furrow with 9 promarginal teeth and 4–5 mesobasal denticles. MIT indiscernible. Sternum, labium and maxillae as shown in Fig. 220. Maxillae with 10–11 cuspules each.

LEGS. Tibia and metatarsus I as in Fig. 278. Scopula: distal on metatarsi I–II; entire on tarsi I–II; widely divided and mixed with setae on tarsus III; sparse and widely divided on tarsus IV. Trichobothria: 2 rows of 10–11 on tibiae, 15–21 on metatarsi, 15–18 on tarsi, 12 on cymbium. PTC I–IV with 6–8 teeth on each margin.

SPINATION. Palp: femur d4, pd3, rd3; patella pd2; tibia d3, p3, pv3, r2, rv2; cymbium d20–25 short spines. Leg I: femur d4, pd3, rd3; patella p1; tibia p3, pv2, r3, rv2+2M; metatarsus p1, v4. Leg II: femur d4, pd3, rd3; patella p2; tibia p3, r1, v7; metatarsus d1, p2, r1(0), v6. Leg III: femur d4, pd3, rd3; patella p3, r1; tibia d3, p3, r3, v7; metatarsus d4, p4, r3, v7. Leg IV: femur d4, pd3, rd3; patella p2(1), r1; tibia d2, p3, r3, v7; metatarsus d4, p3, r3, v7. Tarsi I–IV aspinose.

PALP. Tibia, cymbium and copulatory bulb as shown in Fig. 370. Embolus long and thin, spike-shaped, straight along almost all its length and very gently curved subapically (Figs 439–440).

SPINNERETS. PMS: length 0.29, diameter 0.08. PLS: maximal diameter 0.58; length of basal, medial and apical segments 0.97, 0.69, 0.64; total length 2.30; apical segment triangular.

LEG MEASUREMENTS. ♂(♀)

Female (paratype)

HABITUS. See Fig. 54.

MEASUREMENTS. TBL 26.40, CL 9.76, CW 8.44, LL 0.88, LW 1.89, SL 5.03, SW 4.31.

COLOUR. Similar to that of male, but legs I–IV almost uniformly light yellowish orange (slightly and gradually lightening from femur to tarsus).

CEPHALOTHORAX. Carapace and chelicerae as shown in Fig. 128. Clypeus and eye group as in Fig. 186. Eye diameters and interdistances: AME 0.22(0.32), ALE 0.38, PLE 0.33, PME 0.18; AME–AME 0.27(0.17), ALE–AME 0.18(0.13), ALE–PLE 0.09, PLE–PME 0.08, PME–PME 0.71. Cheliceral rastellum absent. Each cheliceral furrow with 9 promarginal teeth and 4 mesobasal denticles. Sternum, labium and maxillae as shown in Fig. 247. Maxillae with 10–12 cuspules each.

LEGS. Scopula: distal on metatarsi I–II; entire on palpal tarsus and tarsi I–II; absent and replaced by short dense setae on tarsi III–IV. Trichobothria: 2 rows of 10–11 each on tibiae, 24–30 on metatarsi, 22–27 on leg tarsi, 16–17 on palpal tarsus. Palpal claw with 4 promarginal teeth. PTC I–II with 4–5 teeth on each margin. PTC III–IV with 2–3 teeth on inner and 4–5 teeth on outer margins.

SPINATION. All femora with one basodorsal spine and 3–5 median and apical spikes; palpal patella and tarsi I–IV aspinose. Palp: femur pd1; tibia p2, v4; tarsus v3. Leg I: femur pd1; patella p1; tibia p2, v5; metatarsus v6. Leg II: femur pd1; patella p1; tibia p3, v5(4); metatarsus p1, v6. Leg III: femur rd3; patella p1, r1(0); tibia d1, p1, r2, v7; metatarsus p3, r3, v7. Leg IV: femur rd1; patella r1; tibia d1, p2, r2, v7; metatarsus p3, r3, v7.

SPERMATHECAE. Each of paired spermathecae F-shaped, with long and relatively narrow base carrying long inner and much shorter outer branches (Fig. 536).

SPINNERETS. See Figs 599–600. PMS: length 0.37, diameter 0.18. PLS: maximal diameter 0.98; length of basal, medial and apical segments 1.46, 0.87, 0.88; total length 3.21; apical segment triangular.

Variation

Carapace length in males (n =11) varies from 4.64 to 7.28, in females (n=8) from 7.49 to 10.47. Live spiders are shown in Figs 75, 80–81; the tarsal organ, trichobothria of male tarsus I, and PMS – in Figs 340–342, 485. Variation in the structure of the male tibia and metatarsus I and in the conformation of the spermathecae as shown in Figs 279 and 534–535, respectively.

Ecology

Unlike most other members of this species group, Raveniola ferghanensis occurs exclusively within aridized piedmont and foothill areas, where the spiders inhabit semidesert and steppe biotopes (most often, a sparse shrubland steppe on the loess substrate); see Fig. 715. They do not use any natural retreats, but build long, up to 40–50 cm deep, and weakly silk-lined burrows (the opening of an individual burrow is shown in Fig. 716). Wandering adult males were found during periods of an optimal heat and moisture combination – in April and in October.

Distribution

The species is known from Fergana Valley and neighboring foothills and low mountains in eastern Uzbekistan and adjoining regions of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. See Fig. 756.