Raveniola redikorzevi ( Spassky 1937 )

Zonstein, Sergei, 2009, A review of the mygalomorph spiders of the Raveniola caudata species-group (Araneae, Nemesiidae), Zootaxa 2217, pp. 37-42 : 39-42

Raveniola redikorzevi ( Spassky 1937)

Figures 2, 4, 7 , 9 .

Brachythele redikorzevi Spassky 1937: 366 ; Ovcharenko & Fet 1980: 442; Zonstein 1985: 159. Raveniola redikorzevi: Zonstein 1987: 1015 ; Mikhailov & Fet 1994: 502.

Material examined. Holotype: 3, Akar-Cheshme ( Turkmenistan), 24.IV.1936, leg. L. Freiberg, 3 ( ZISP, examined).

Additional material examined: TURKMENISTAN: surroundings of Akar-Cheshme well, western piedmont part of Badkhyz plateau, 850 m, 35°47'N 61°28'E, 16.IV.1985, leg. S.L. Zonstein, 1 3 ( TAUI); Kyzyl-Dzhar ravine, south-eastern border of Badkhyz plateau, 600 m, 35°49'N 61°51'E, III.1978, leg. G.T. Kuznetzov, 33 ( TAUI); the same locality, 11.IV.1993, leg. D.A. Milko, 13 ( TAUI); Kepele well, central part of Badkhyz plateau, 700 m, 35°48'N 61°33'E, III.1980, leg. R.E. Zlotin, 23 ( TAUI); the same data but 16.IV.1984, 23, 1♀subad. ( TAUI); surroundings of Nardevanly spring, Zulfagar Mts., 1100 m, 35°47’N 61°21’E, 13.IV.1993, leg. S.L. Zonstein, 2 3 ( TAUI).

Diagnosis: Differs from R. caudata sp. n. by the well-developed dorsal abdominal pattern, even longer apical segment of PLS, and by possessing laterodistal tufts of scopuliform hairs on leg tarsi I–IV. Males of R. redikorzevi can be distinguished from males of R. caudata sp. n. by their noticeably stouter but long legs, closer spaced megaspines, stouter palpal tibia and cymbium, longer embolus as well as by details of the embolic keel and tip.

Redescription: (conspecific male from type locality). Total body length including chelicerae 17.40. Color in alcohol ( Fig. 2 ): 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 rufous-red; sternum, labium, maxillae, metatarsi II–IV and tarsi I–IV light brownish-rufous; abdomen light yellowish brown, dorsally with diffuse brown pattern consisting of broad median lanceolate spot crossed and fused with few more or less broad irregularly shaped transverse fasciae; spinnerets pale yellowish-brown. Carapace: length 8.07, width 7.43; except for marginal setae, covered with tiny adpressed dark-brown and discolored hairs. Clypeus moderately narrow. Eye tubercle relatively low, occupies about 0.34 of clypeus width. Ratio of AME, ALE, PLE, PME: 20, 35, 19, 16. Interspaces: AME-AME 20.5, ALE-AME 13, ALE-PLE 12, PLE-PME 8, PME-PME 54. Thoracic fovea short, straight. Chelicerae: furrow with 10 promarginal teeth and 5–6 mesobasal denticles. Labium ( Fig. 4 ): length 0.70, width 1.49; cuspules absent. Maxillae ( Fig. 4 ): 26–27 cuspules in large triangle area, serrula absent. Sternum ( Fig. 4 ): length 3.74, width 3.45. Paired sternal sigillae small, rounded, submarginal.

Legs. Measurements (femur, patella, tibia, metatarsus, tarsus, total, mm). Palp: 4.70, 2.67, 4.38, –, 1.43, 13.18. I: 7.32, 3.97, 5.35, 5.51, 3.28, 25.43. II: 7.03, 3.68, 5.04, 5.23, 3.20, 24.18. III: 6.33, 3.05, 4.37, 6.07, 3.15, 22.97. IV: 7.82, 3.53, 5.78, 7.93, 3.72, 28.78. Spination. Palp: Fm d1–1–1–1, pd1–1, rd1(0)–1; Pt p1–1; Tb d1–1–1, p1–1–1, r1–1–1, v2–1 –1–2; Tr d4(5). Leg I: Fm d1–1–1–1, pd1–1–1, rd1–1–1; Pt p1–1; Tb pI–1–1, r1–1–0, v3–1 –1–m–m; Mt v2. Leg II: Fm d1–1–1–1, pd1–1– 1, rd1–1–1; Pt p1–1; Tb p1–1–1, r1–0–0, v3 (2)–1–1(0)–1–2; Mt d0–0–1, p1–1–1; v2–2 –3. Leg III: Fm d1–1–1–1, pd1–1–1, rd1–1–1; Pt p1–1–1, r1; Tb d1–1–1, p1–1–1, r1–1–1, v2 (3)–2–3; Mt d1–0–0, pd1– 1–1, p1–1–1, r1–1–1, v2–1 –2–3. Leg IV: Fm d1–1–1–1, pd1–1–1–1(0), rd1–1–1–1; Pt p1–1, r1; Tb d1(2)–1–1, p1–1–1, r1–1–1, v3–2 –3; Mt d1–0–0, pd1–1, p1–1–1–1, r1–1–1, v2–1 –1–2–3. Megaspines respectively close set ( Fig. 7 ). Leg tarsi aspinose. Scopula: distal 1/3 on metatarsi I–II, entire on tarsi I–II, divided by setae on tarsi III, widely divided on tarsi IV; leg tarsi apically with dense lateral tufts of scopuliform hairs. Paired claws: outer and inner margins with 9–11 teeth each. Trichobothria: 2 rows of 9–12 on tibiae, 15–19 on metatarsi, 19–24 on tarsi, 9–10 on cymbium. Palpus ( Fig. 9 ). Genital area with about 40 large epiandrous fusillae.

Spinnerets. 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 digitiform.

Female: Only one subadult female collected hitherto was examined. Coloration, eye ratio and arrangement, and shape of spinnerets do not differ principally from conspecific males. Configuration of spermathecae and other adult female characters remain unknown.

Variability: Carapace length in males varies from 6.25–8.20. In some specimens, independently of their size, the distal abdominal pattern may be noticeably darker and more contrasting than the most widespread variant ( Fig. 2 ).

Distribution: South Turkmenistan: Badkhyz plateau, including its western mountainous border (Zulfagar Mts.).

Ecology: The species inhabits open low forest of Pistacea vera L. and mountainous steppes; wandering males occur under rocks. The subadult female and males collected by R.E. Zlotin (Research Institute of Geography, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow) were captured when he investigated burrows of gerbils and tortillas, at that one male was found inside a burrow 240 cm deep (Dr. Roman Zlotin, pers. com.).

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 7. Raveniola caudata sp. n., holotype male (1, 3, 5, 6, 8) and R. redikorzevi Spassky, conspecific male (2, 4, 7, 9). 1. Carapace and chelicerae, dorsal view. 2. Body in dorsal view. 3, 4. Sternum, labium, maxillae and chelicerae; ventral view. 5, 7. Left tibia and metatarsus I, retrolateral view. 6. Left palp, tibia to tarsus, retrolateral view. Scale bar = 5 mm for 2; 1 mm for 1, 3 – 7.

FIGURES 8, 9. Distal part of left palp showing palpus, retrolateral view. 1. Raveniola caudata sp. n., holotype male. 2. R. redikorzevi Spassky, conspecific male. Scale bar = 1 mm.