Raveniola redikorzevi (Spassky, 1937)

Figs 3, 36, 84, 110, 138, 166, 196, 204, 229, 260, 290, 319–324, 351, 383–384, 466–468, 479–481, 487–488, 557–558, 623–626, 748–749

Brachythele redikorzevi Spassky, 1937: 366, fig. 3 (♂).

Brachythele redikorzevi – Spassky & Minenkova 1940: 140. — Roewer 1942: 196. — Spassky 1952: 193. — Bonnet 1955: 912. — Ovcharenko & Fet 1980: 442. — Zonstein 1985: 159.

Raveniola redikorzevi – Zonstein 1987: 1015; 2009: 39, figs 2, 4, 7, 9 (♂). — Platnick 1989: 91. — Mikhailov & Fet 1994: 502. — Mikhailov 1996: 77; 1997: 20; 2013: 12.

Diagnosis

Differs from the other two species of this group in having a distinctly developed dorsal abdominal pattern and an even longer apical segment of PLS. Males of R. redikorzevi can be distinguished from males of R. caudata and R. inopinata sp. nov. in possessing noticeably stouter though similarly long legs, closer spaced megaspines, a stouter palpal tibia and cymbium, as well as by details of the embolic keel and tip (see Figs 260, 351, 383–384, 466–468 cf. Figs 256, 258, 349–350, 379–382).

Material examined

Holotype

TURKMENISTAN • ♂; Akar-Cheshme; 24 Apr. 1936; L. Freiberg leg.; ZISP.

Additional material (12 ♂♂, 1 ♀)

TURKMENISTAN • 1 ♂; western part of Badhyz Plateau, surroundings of Akar-Cheshme well; 35°47′ N, 61°28′ E; 850 m a.s.l.; 16 Apr. 1985; S. Zonstein leg.; SMNH • 3 ♂♂; south-eastern border of Badhyz Plateau, Kyzyl-Djar ravine; 35°49′ N, 61°51′ E; 500–600 m a.s.l.; 1–31 Mar. 1978; G.T. Kuznetzov leg.; SMNH • 1 ♂; same collection data as for preceding; 11 Apr. 1993; D.A. Milko leg.; SMNH • 2 ♂♂; central part of Badhyz Plateau, Kepele well; 35°48′ N, 61°33′ E; 700 m a.s.l.; 1–31 Mar. 1980; R.E. Zlotin leg.; SMNH • 2 ♂♂, 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; 16 Apr. 1984; SMNH • 1 ♂, same collection data as for preceding; 35°48.2′ N, 61°32.8′ E; 810 m a.s.l.; 10 Apr. 2002; A.V. Gromov leg.; ZMMU • 2 ♂♂; Zulfagar Mts, surroundings of Nardevanly spring; 35°47′ N, 61°21′ E; 1100 m a.s.l.; 13 Apr. 1993; S. Zonstein leg.; SMNH .

Redescription

Male (a conspecific specimen from the type locality, Akar-Cheshme, SMNH)

HABITUS. See Fig. 3.

MEASUREMENTS. TBL 17.40, CL 8.07, CW 7.47, LL 0.70, LW 1.49, SL 3.74, SW 3.45.

COLOUR. Carapace, palps and legs including femora, patellae, tibiae, metatarsus I and cymbium brownish orange; eye tubercle weakly darkened, with dark brown spot surrounding AME and narrow brownish fasciae edging other eyes; chelicerae ginger red; sternum, labium, maxillae, metatarsi II–IV and tarsi I–IV light brownish orange; abdomen light yellowish brown, dorsally with diffuse brown pattern consisting of broad median lanceolate spot crossed and fused with few fairly broad and irregularly shaped transverse chevrons; spinnerets pale yellowish brown.

CEPHALOTHORAX. Carapace and chelicerae as shown in Fig. 84. Clypeus and eye group as in Fig. 138. Eye diameters and interdistances: AME 0.20(0.27), ALE 0.35, PLE 0.19, PME 0.16, AME–AME 0.13(0.07), ALE–AME 0.12(0.09), ALE–PLE 0.12, PLE–PME 0.08, PME–PME 0.54. Each cheliceral furrow with 10 promarginal teeth and 5–6 mesobasal denticles. MIT indiscernible (Fig. 196). Sternum, labium and maxillae as shown in Fig. 204. Maxillae with 26–27 cuspules each.

LEGS. Tibia and metatarsus I as shown in Figs 260, 290. Scopula: distal ⅓ on metatarsi I–II, entire on tarsi I–II, narrowly divided by setae on tarsi III, widely divided on tarsi IV. Trichobothria: 2 rows of 9–12 each on tibiae, 15–19 on metatarsi, 19–24 on tarsi, 9–10 on cymbium. Trichobothrial bases and tarsal organ I as shown in Figs 320–323. Tarsi I–IV apically with dense lateral tufts of long setae (Fig. 324). Paired claws on tarsi I–IV with 9–11 teeth on each margin.

SPINATION. Palp: femur d4, pd2, rd2(1); patella p2; tibia d3, p3, r3, v6; cymbium d4(5). Leg I: femur d4, pd3, rd3; patella p2; tibia p3, pv2, r2, rv2+2M; metatarsus v2a. Leg II: femur d4, pd3, rd2; patella p2; tibia p3, r1, v8(6); metatarsus d1, p3; v7. Leg III: femur d4, pd3, rd3; patella p3, r1; tibia d3, p3, r3, v8(7); metatarsus d1, pd3, p3, r3, v8. Leg IV: femur d4, pd4(3), rd4; patella p2, r1; tibia d4(3), p3, r3, v8; metatarsus d1, p4, pd2, r3, v9. Tarsi I–IV aspinose.

PALP. Tibia, cymbium and copulatory bulb as shown in Fig. 351. Broadly tipped embolus provided with relatively high and sharply rounded subapical keel (Figs 383–384, 466–468).

SPINNERETS. See Fig. 557. PMS: length 0.78; diameter 0.34. PLS: maximal diameter 0.63; length of basal, medial and apical segments 1.40, 1.03, 1.62; total length 4.05; apical segment elongate.

LEG MEASUREMENTS. ♂(♀)

Female (surroundings of Kepele well)

HABITUS. See Fig. 36.

MEASUREMENTS. TBL 16.50, CL 6.69, CW 5.83, LL 0.59, LW 1.30, SL 3.37, SW 2.70.

COLOUR. As in male, but carapace and legs I–IV paler, light yellowish orange.

CEPHALOTHORAX. Carapace and chelicerae as shown in Fig. 110. Clypeus and eye group as in Fig. 166. Eye diameters and interdistances: AME 0.16(0.24), ALE 0.30, PLE 0.16, PME 0.14, AME–AME 0.20(0.12), ALE–AME 0.11(0.07), ALE–PLE 0.12, PLE–PME 0.12, PME–PME 0.49. Cheliceral furrow with 8 promarginal teeth and 2–3 denticles. Sternum, labium and maxillae as shown in Fig. 229. Maxillae with 40–42 cuspules each.

LEGS. Scopula: distal ⅓ on metatarsi I–II, entire on palpal tarsus and tarsi I–II, widely divided and mixed with setae on tarsi III–IV. Trichobothria: 2 rows of 11–13 each on tibiae, 16–21 on metatarsi, 19–24 on tarsi, 14–15 on cymbium. Paired claws on tarsi I–III with 5–7 teeth on each margin, but paired caws on tarsus IV with 4 and 2 teeth in inner and outer row, respectively. Palpal claw with 4 long teeth on promargin.

SPINATION. Palpal femur and femora I–IV with 1–2 basodorsal spines and 2–3 dorsal bristles; patella I, palpal patella and tarsi I–IV aspinose. Palp: femur pd1(0); tibia v6(5); tarsus v2(1). Leg I: femur pd2; tibia p2, v7(5); metatarsus v6. Leg II: femur pd2; patella p2; tibia p3(1), v7; metatarsus p2, v7. Leg III: femur pd1, rd1; patella p2; tibia d2, p2, r2, v4; metatarsus d2, p4, r3, v9. Leg IV: femur pd1, rd2; patella p1, r1; tibia d1, p2, r3, v7; metatarsus d1, p3, r3, v8.

SPERMATHECAE. Each paired spermatheca mound-like with low and wide base carrying two short, slender and narrowly spaced stalks (Figs 487–488).

SPINNERETS. See Fig. 558. PMS: length 0.63; diameter 0.28. PLS: maximal diameter 0.70; length of basal, medial and apical segments 1.22, 0.78, 1.49; total length 3.49; apical segment elongate.

Variation

Carapace length in males (n=8) varies from 6.25 to 8.20. In some specimens, dorsal abdominal pattern may be noticeably darker and more contrasting than in the figured male and female.

Ecology

The species inhabits lowland semideserts, open low woodlands dominated by Pistacea vera L., and montane steppes (Figs 623–626); wandering males occur under rocks. According to the personal communication of R.E. Zlotin (Research Institute of Geography, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow), the specimens collected by him were captured when he investigated the abandoned burrows of xerophilic rodents (mostly, of gerbils, Meriones spp.) and reptilians.

Distribution

South Turkmenistan: Badhyz Plateau, including its western mountainous border (Zulfagar Mts). Very likely, the species can also occur within the neighbouring territories of Iran and Afghanistan. See Figs 748–749.

Notes

Zonstein (2009) considered the only known conspecific female as an immature specimen (judging from its smaller size in comparison with the majority of collected males belonging to the same species). However, the dissection that followed the premature appreciation revealed that this relatively small female is nevertheless adult and possesses normally developed spermathecae.