Raveniola alajensis, Zonstein, 2024

Zonstein, Sergei L., 2024, A revision of the spider genus Raveniola (Araneae, Nemesiidae). II. Species from Central Asia, European Journal of Taxonomy 967, pp. 1-185 : 21-24

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.5852/ejt.2024.967.2699
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:C08B8027-50CC-417E-BCD4-5183B9FF6738
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14034680
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/2D34C44A-A596-4F8D-9CF2-6B2BDBF3E908
taxon LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:act:2D34C44A-A596-4F8D-9CF2-6B2BDBF3E908
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Raveniola alajensis
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Raveniola alajensis sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:2D34C44A-A596-4F8D-9CF2-6B2BDBF3E908

Figs 4 View Figs 1–9 , 38 View Figs 36–44 , 65 View Figs 63–68 , 85 View Figs 82–90 , 112 View Figs 109–117 , 139 View Figs 136–147 , 168 View Figs 160–171 , 205 View Figs 202–210 , 231 View Figs 229–237 , 261 View Figs 256–264 , 291 View Figs 290–309 , 311 View Figs 310–318 , 325–327 View Figs 319–333 , 352 View Figs 349–363 , 385–387 View Figs 379–388 , 491–493 View Figs 487–503 , 560–562 View Figs 555–564 , 627, 628, 751

Diagnosis

The new species shares with Raveniola afghana sp. nov., R. hirta sp. nov. and R. karategensis sp. nov. the presence of modified long hairs on the female tibia and metatarsus IV (see Figs 310–311, 314–317 View Figs 310–318 ). Among these species, females of R. alajensis sp. nov. are distinguishable due to their well-developed chevron-like marks on the dorsal abdomen (which are absent or poorly discernible in other noted species; Fig. 38 View Figs 36–44 cf. Figs 37, 42, 44 View Figs 36–44 ). In females of the new species, the inner spermathecal branch is shorter, narrower and impartible, while in females of the other above-mentioned species, it is longer, wider, multilobate, or serpentine ( Figs 491–493 View Figs 487–503 cf. Figs 489–490 View Figs 487–503 , 504–508, 510–512 View Figs 504–521 ). In the structure of the embolus, males of R. alajensis resemble those of R. cucullata sp. nov. and R. insolita sp. nov., but may be distinguished from them in having a noticeably wider basal section of the embulus, additionally provided with a larger embolic keel ( Figs 385–387 View Figs 379–388 cf. Figs 389–396 View Figs 389–399 and 409–411 View Figs 409–417 ).

Etymology

The specific epithet is a toponym referring to the type locality: Alay Valley, Alay and Trans-Alay Mts. The majority of zoologists, who have described species under this name, clearly preferred to use the much more common spelling ‘ alajensis ’ rather than ‘ alayensis ’ (according to the Google search engine, the use frequency ratio between the former and the latter is about 110 to 1). I just follow herein this historical practice.

Material examined

Holotype

KYRGYZSTAN • ♂; Trans-Alay Mts (northern slope), Berksu Gorge ; 39°28′ N, 72°01′ E; 2650 m a.s.l.; 11 Jul. 1995; S. Zonstein leg.; SMNH. GoogleMaps

Paratypes (2 ♂, 27 ♀♀)

KYRGYZSTAN • 1 ♂, 21 ♀♀; same locality as for preceding; 2600–3200 m a.s.l.; 9–12 Jul. 1995; S. Zonstein and S.V. Ovchinnikov leg.; SMNH GoogleMaps • 2 ♀♀; same locality as for preceding; 9 Jul. 1995; S. Zonstein leg.; ZMUM GoogleMaps • 2 ♀♀; Alay Mts (southern slope), Oksu Gorge ; 2800 m a.s.l.; 15 Jul. 1998; S.V. Ovchinnikov leg.; SMNH • 2 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; Tekelik Gorge ; 39°35′ N, 71°57′ E; 2700 m a.s.l.; 17 Jul. 1998; D.A. Milko leg.; SMNH GoogleMaps • 1 ♂; Alay Mts (southern slope), Kaindy Canyon near Kaindy Pass (“Dare-Kaindy”, as labelled); 39°38′ N, 72°03′ E; 3300–3400 m a.s.l.; 11 Jul. 1903; S. Arens leg.; ZISP 82-905 View Materials GoogleMaps .

Additional material

TAJIKISTAN • 1 ♀; Alay Mts, southern slope W of Karamyk Pass ; 39°27′ N, 71°46′ E; 2500 m a.s.l.; 25 Jul. 1998; A. Panfilov leg.; SMNH GoogleMaps .

Description

Male (holotype)

HABITUS. See Fig. 4. View Figs 1–9

MEASUREMENTS. TBL 13.85, CL 6.73, CW 5.88, LL 0.45, LW 0.92, SL 3.27, SW 2.98.

COLOUR. Carapace mostly brownish orange; cephalic area, thoracic grooves and chelicerae slightly darker, medium reddish brown, eye tubercle blackened, palps and legs dorsally brownish orange; sternum, labium, maxillae, palps and legs ventrally light yellowish brown; abdomen dorsally medium greyish brown with darker brown pattern consisting of interrupted median strip and five pairs of short oblique lateral chevrons; ventral surface of abdomen light greyish brown, book-lungs and spinnerets pale yellowish brown.

CEPHALOTHORAX. Carapace and chelicerae as shown in Fig. 85 View Figs 82–90 . Clypeus and eye group as in Fig. 139 View Figs 136–147 . Eye diameters and interdistances: AME 0.15(0.21), ALE 0.25, PLE 0.15, PME 0.14; AME–AME 0.15(0.09), ALE–AME 0.09(0.06), ALE–PLE 0.13, PLE–PME 0.5, PME–PME 0.40. Chelicerae with weak rastellum of ca 30 spikes located in front of fang base. Each cheliceral furrow with 9 promarginal teeth and 5–6 mesobasal denticles. MIT indiscernible. Sternum, labium and maxillae as shown in Fig. 205 View Figs 202–210 . Maxillae with 49–51 cuspules each.

LEGS. Tibia and metatarsus I as in Figs 261 View Figs 256–264 , 291 View Figs 290–309 . Scopula: distal on metatarsi I–II, entire on tarsi I–II, narrowly divided with setae on tarsus III, widely divided on tarsus IV. Trichobothria: 2 rows of 8 each on tibiae, 11–13 on metatarsi, 14–15 on tarsi, 10 on cymbium. PTC I–IV with 9–10 teeth on outer and 11 teeth on inner margin.

SPINATION. Palpal patella, patellae I–II and tarsi I–IV aspinose. Palp: femur d5(4), pd3, rd2; tibia d5, p3, r2, v6; cymbium d ~ 40 spikes. Leg I: femur d4, pd3, rd3; tibia p3(2), pv2, r2, rv2+2M; metatarsus vp1. Leg II: femur d4, pd3, rd3; tibia p3, v8(7); metatarsus p1, v4(5). Leg III: femur d4, pd3, rd3; patella p2, r2; tibia d1, p3(2), r2, v7; metatarsus pd4, p3, rd3, v7. Leg IV: femur d4, pd3, rd2; patella r1; tibia d1, pd3, p3(4), r3, v6; metatarsus pd4, p3, r4, v8(7).

PALP. Tibia, cymbium and copulatory bulb as shown in Fig. 352 View Figs 349–363 . Embolus with long basal portion provided with low keel and short hooked apical part ( Figs 385–387 View Figs 379–388 ).

SPINNERETS. See Fig. 560 View Figs 555–564 . PMS: length 0.45, diameter 0.20. PLS: maximal diameter 0.53; length of basal, medial and apical segments 1.02, 0.65, 0.67; total length 2.34; apical segment triangular.

	Femur	Patella	Tibia	Metatarsus	Tarsus	Total
Palp	4.55 (4.98)	2.47 (2.60)	3.95 (3.14)	–	0.92 (2.27)	11.78 (12.99)
Leg I	6.53 (6.52)	3.68 (4.05)	5.37 (4.53)	5.33 (3.90)	2.77 (2.48)	23.68 (21.48)
Leg II	6.07 (5.97)	3.20 (3.64)	4.53 (3.62)	4.45 (3.57)	2.72 (2.48)	20.97 (19.28)
Leg III	4.80 (4.95)	2.92 (2.93)	3.13 (2.85)	4.37 (3.85)	2.75 (2.44)	17.97 (17.02)
Leg IV	6.13 (7.93)	3.53 (3.77)	4.55 (5.02)	6.12 (6.43)	3.08 (3.10)	23.41 (26.25)

Female (paratype from Berksu, SMNH)

HABITUS. See Figs 38 View Figs 36–44 , 65. View Figs 63–68

MEASUREMENTS. TBL 21.50, CL 8.65, CW 7.22, LL 0.73, LW 1.50, SL 4.60, SW 3.92.

COLOUR. Similar to that of male, but slightly lighter.

CEPHALOTHORAX. Carapace and chelicerae as shown in Fig. 112 View Figs 109–117 . Clypeus and eye group as in Fig. 168 View Figs 160–171 . Eye diameters and interdistances: AME 0.20(0.27), ALE 0.34, PLE 0.25, PME 0.22; AME–AME 0.21(0.14), ALE–AME 0.16(0.13), ALE–PLE 0.29, PLE–PME 0.09, PME–PME 0.60. Chelicerae with weak rastellum of ca 35–40 dense spikes located in front of fang base. Each cheliceral furrow with 9–10 promarginal teeth and 4–6 mesobasal denticles. Sternum, labium and maxillae as shown in Fig. 231 View Figs 229–237 . Maxillae with 44–46 cuspules each.

LEGS. Tibia, metatarsus and tarsus IV covered with extremely long and dense dorsal hairs, 3–4 times as long as maximal width of corresponding segment ( Fig. 311 View Figs 310–318 ). Scopula: entire on metatarsus I, distal ⅔ of metatarsus II, palpal tarsus and tarsus I, narrowly divided with setae on tarsus II, widely divided on tarsi III–IV. Trichobothria: 2 rows of 9–11 each on tibiae, ca 20 on metatarsi and tarsi. Trichobothria, their bases and tarsal organ of leg I as shown on Figs 325–327 View Figs 319–333 . Palpal claw with 6 teeth. PTC I–IV with 6–7 teeth on each margin.

SPINATION. Palpal femur and femora I–IV with 1 basodorsal spine and 3–5 dorsal bristles; patella I and tarsi I–IV aspinose. Palp: femur pd1; patella pd1; tibia p2(3), v7(5); tarsus v3. Leg I: femur pd1; tibia v2(1); metatarsus v5(4). Leg II: femur pd1; patella p2; tibia p2, v5; metatarsus v6. Leg III: femur pd2, rd3; patella p1(2), r1; tibia d3, p2, r2, v8(7); metatarsus dp4, r3, v8(7). Leg IV: femur rd2; patella r2; tibia d1, r3, v7(8); metatarsus r3, v8(7).

SPERMATHECAE. See Fig. 491 View Figs 487–503 . Each paired spermatheca with low and wide conical base carrying two short club-like branches, with closely set proximal parts and widely divergent apices.

SPINNERETS. See Figs 561–562 View Figs 555–564 . PMS: length 0.68, diameter 0.35. PLS: maximal diameter 1.13; length of basal, medial and apical segments 1.27, 0.75, 0.78; total length 2.80; apical segment triangular.

Variation

Carapace length in males (n= 3) ranges from 6.62 to 8.23, in females (n=9) it varies from 6.57 to 8.93. Spermathecae show a quite insignificant variation ( Figs 491–493 View Figs 487–503 ).

Ecology

The spiders occur in the highland zone of the Alay and Trans-Alay ridges where they inhabit subalpine and alpine grasslands in combination with a low open Juniperus woodland ( Figs 627–628 View Figs 627–634 ). All females were observed hiding inside their unprotected burrows 35–45 cm deep; the conspecific males were found hiding during the daytime under stones.

Distribution

Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan. See Fig. 751 View Figs 751–760 .