Raveniola inopinata sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 95D11393-B830-4068-8CC7-91D33AE45BA7

Figs 2, 63–64, 83, 137, 203, 258–259, 350, 381–382, 556, 622, 748–749

Diagnosis

Differs from R. caudata and R. redikorzevi by having a darker and almost uniformly brown colouration of body and legs, as well as in having noticeably smaller PMS (in R. inopinata sp. nov. the proximal segment of PLS is 2.5 times as long as PMS vs 1.8–2 times in the latter species). In the male of R. inopinata sp. nov., the copulatory bulb is relatively slender (ca 3 times as long as wide vs 2–2.5 times in males of the two other species), with smaller and less pronounced subapical embolic keel (Figs 381– 382 cf. Figs 379–380, 383–384).

Etymology

The specific epithet ‘ inopinata ’ is a Latin adjective (of the feminine gender) that means ‘unexpected’. This name was chosen because the holotype of this rare species was quite unexpectedly found only a few kilometres from the type locality of the equally rare R. caudata .

Material examined

Holotype

TAJIKISTAN • ♂; Panj Karatau Mts, western slope of Mt Astana, 0.9 km SW of summit; 37°22.9′ N, 69°14.3′ E; 1550 m a.s.l.; 4 May 2015; S. Zonstein leg.; SMNH.

Description

Male (holotype)

HABITUS. See Figs 2, 63–64.

MEASUREMENTS. TBL 13.85, CL 6.31, CW 5.67, LL 0.51, LW 1.05, SL 3.10, SW 2.76.

COLOUR. Carapace, palps and legs dorsally dark sepia brown; eye tubercle blackish brown; chelicerae dark chestnut brown; sternum, labium, maxillae, palps and legs ventrally light sepia brown; abdomen almost uniformly greyish brown, dorsally with small and paler median greyish spot in anterior quarter; book-lungs and spinnerets pale sepia brown.

CEPHALOTHORAX. Carapace and chelicerae as shown in Fig. 83. Clypeus and eye group as in Fig. 137. Eye diameters and interdistances: AME 0.18(0.24), ALE 0.30, PLE 0.16, PME 0.13; AME–AME 0.15(0.09), ALE–AME 0.08(0.05), ALE–PLE 0.06, PLE–PME 0.06, PME–PME 0.40. Each cheliceral furrow with 10 promarginal teeth and 6–7 mesobasal denticles. MIT indiscernible. Sternum, labium and maxillae as shown in Fig. 203. Maxillae with ca 45 cuspules each.

LEGS. Tibia and metatarsus I as shown in Fig. 258. Scopula: entire and distal on metatarsi I–II, entire on tarsi I–II; widely divided on tarsus III, widely divided and mixed with setae on tarsus IV. Trichobothria: 2 rows each of 12–14 on tibiae, 20–23 on metatarsi, 20–25 on tarsi, 15–16 on cymbium. Tarsi I–IV apically with moderately dense lateral tufts of long setae (Fig. 259). Paired claws on tarsi I–IV with 8–10 teeth in each row.

LEG MEASUREMENTS.

SPINATION. Palp: femur d4(5), pd2, rd2; patella p2; tibia d2, p5, pv1, r1, rv3; cymbium d6(7). Leg I: femur d4, pd3, rd3; patella p1; tibia p2, pv3, r1, rv2+2M; metatarsus v2a. Leg II: femur d4, pd3, rd3; patella p1; tibia p3, v8; metatarsus p1; v6. Leg III: femur d4, pd3, rd3; patella p2, r1(0); tibia d3(2), p3, r3, v8; metatarsus d3, p3, r3, v8. Leg IV: femur d4, pd3, rd4(2); patella p1, r1; tibia d2(1), p3, r3, v8; metatarsus d2, p4, r4, v10. Tarsi I–IV aspinose.

PALP. Tibia, cymbium and copulatory bulb as shown in Fig. 350. Broadly tipped embolus provided with relatively low and gradually rounded subapical keel (Figs 381–382).

SPINNERETS. See Fig. 556. PMS: length 0.51; diameter 0.23. PLS: maximal diameter 0.45; length of basal, medial and apical segments 1.23, 0.84, 1.22; total length 3.29; apical segment elongate.

Female

Unknown.

Ecology

The holotype was collected in a stepped low sparse forest dominated by Acer, Crataegus and Prunus spp.; the spider was found in a small hollow between two slopes under a stone (Figs 63–64, 622).

Distribution

Known only from the type locality. See Figs 748–749.