Raveniola ornata Zonstein, 2024, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Zonstein, Sergei L.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2024
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Arachnida
Araneae
Nemesiidae
Raveniola
Raveniola ornata

description: Raveniola ornata sp. nov.
urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 2E6AD8A1-010C-439E-8EA5-3AD43C180B86
Figs 11, 45–46, 72, 93, 120, 147, 178, 212, 239, 269, 298, 361, 412–414, 513–516, 577–580, 667–673, 753
Diagnosis
The new species shares with R. ornatula sp. nov. a denser (than usual) dorsal abdominal pattern, a wide roundish sternum, small PMS and an ornamented ventral surface of the abdomen, but can be distinguished from the latter in possessing a sparser ventral abdominal pattern (Figs 11, 45–46, 212, 239, 577–580 cf. Figs 12, 47, 213, 240, 581–583). Males of R. ornata sp. nov. differ from males of R. ornatula in having a long and narrow basal section of the embolus considerably exceeding the tegulum in its length (Figs 412–414 cf. Figs 415–417). The conspecific females can be distinguished from females of R. ornatula in possessing smaller but more numerous maxillary cuspules, as well as longer and narrower basal (inner) branches of the spermathecae (Figs 239, 513–516 cf. Figs 240, 517–519).
Etymology
The specific epithet is a Latin adjective meaning ‘ornate’, ‘ornamented’, ‘decorated’, and refers to a fine dorsal abdominal pattern characteristic for this species.
Material examined
Holotype
TAJIKISTAN • ♂; Sanglok Mts, northeastern slope above Sharshar Pass; 38°18′ N, 69°14′ E; 1880 m a.s.l.; 5 May 1991; S. Zonstein leg.; SMNH.
Paratypes (1 ♂, 16 ♀♀)
TAJIKISTAN • 1 ♂, 3 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; 1600–2200 m a.s.l.; 3–5 May 1991; S. Zonstein leg.; SMNH • 2 ♀♀; Gazimailik Mts, eastern slope, 7–8 km WNW of Ganjina Village; 37°59′ N, 68°29′ E; 1700–1800 m a.s.l.; 20 Apr. 1989; S. Zonstein leg.; SMNH • 7 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; 1900–2050 m a.s.l.; 18 Apr. 1991; S. Zonstein leg.; SMNH • 4 ♀♀; Panj Karatau Mts, northeastern slope of Mt Astana; 37°23′ N, 69°15′ E; 1500–1600 m a.s.l.; 25 Apr. 1990; S. Zonstein leg.; SMNH.
Additional material (2 juvs)
TAJIKISTAN • 1 juv.; Vahsh Karatau Mts, northern slope of Mt Hojamaston; 37°59′ N, 68°58′ E; 1900 m a.s.l.; 24 Apr. 1989; S. Zonstein leg.; SMNH.
UZBEKISTAN • 1 juv.; Babatag Mts, 2.5 km ESE of Mt Zarkassa; 37°58′ N, 68°11′ E; 1800 m a.s.l.; 1 May 1995; S. Zonstein leg.; SMNH.
Description
Male (holotype)
HABITUS. See Fig. 11.
MEASUREMENTS. TBL 13.25, CL 5.94, CW 5.53, LL 0.43, LW 0.89, SL 2.84, SW 2.70.
COLOUR. Carapace and leg I from femur to metatarsus medium foxy brown; tarsus I, and entire palps and legs II–IV lighter foxy brown; eye tubercle with eyes surrounded with partially fused blackish rings, chelicerae light cherry red; sternum, labium and maxillae light brownish orange; abdomen pale yellowish brown with numerous brownish marks forming well-developed reticulate pattern on dorsal side and incomplete spotted pattern on ventral side; book-lungs and spinnerets pale yellowish brown.
CEPHALOTHORAX. Carapace and chelicerae as shown in Fig. 93. Clypeus and eye group as in Fig. 147. Eye diameters and interdistances: AME 0.17(0.23), ALE 0.26, PLE 0.19, PME 0.17; AME–AME 0.15(0.09), ALE–AME 0.13(0.10), ALE–PLE 0.10, PLE–PME 0.04, PME–PME 0.48. Anterior cheliceral edge with unmodified setae; rastellum not developed. Each cheliceral furrow with 7 promarginal teeth and 4–5 mesobasal denticles. MIT indiscernible. Sternum, labium and maxillae as shown in Fig. 212. Maxillae with 28–30 cuspules each.
LEGS. Tibia and metatarsus I as in Figs 269, 298. Scopula: entire and distal on metatarsi I–II; entire on tarsi I–II; vestigial on tarsi III–IV. Trichobothria: 2 rows of 9–10 each on tibiae, 13–15 on metatarsi, 11–12 on tarsi, 8 on cymbium. PTC I–IV with 8–10 teeth on each margin.
SPINATION. Palp: femur d3, pd2, rd1; patella pd1; tibia d3, p3, r2, v5; cymbium d3(4)+12–15 spikes. Leg I: femur d3, pd3; patella p1; tibia p2, pv1, rv2+ 2M. Leg II: femur d3, pd3, rd3; patella p1; tibia p3, v7; metatarsus p1, v4. Leg III: femur d4, pd3, rd2; patella p2, r1; tibia d4, p4, r3, v7; metatarsus d4, p4, r3, v7. Leg IV: femur d4, pd3, rd2(1); patella p2, r1; tibia d2, p4, r3, v8; metatarsus d5, p4, r4, v9. Metatarsus I and tarsi I–IV aspinose.
PALP. Tibia, cymbium and copulatory bulb as shown in Fig. 361. Embolus with long basal portion lacking keel and moderately short twisted apical part (Figs 412–414).
SPINNERETS. See Fig. 577. PMS: length 0.33, diameter 0.12. PLS: maximal diameter 0.46; length of basal, medial and apical segments 0.76, 0.44, 0.52; total length 1.72; apical segment short digitiform.
LEG MEASUREMENTS. ♂(♀)
FemurPatellaTibiaMetatarsusTarsusTotalPalp3.71 (3.85)1.78 (2.05)2.73 (2.69)–0.99 (2.32)9.21 (10.91)Leg I5.97 (5.26)3.24 (3.31)4.56 (3.97)4.93 (3.48)2.71 (2.28)21.41 (18.30)Leg II5.69 (5.02)2.81 (2.85)4.30 (3.57)4.96 (3.44)2.70 (2.27)20.46 (17.15)Leg III4.82 (4.61)2.45 (2.43)3.65 (2.97)5.05 (4.04)2.59 (2.43)18.56 (16.48)Leg IV6.01 (5.93)2.86 (2.88)4.66 (4.14)6.63 (5.69)2.96 (2.75)23.12 21.39)
Female (paratype from Sanglok Mts)
HABITUS. See Fig. 46.
MEASUREMENTS. TBL 19.85, CL 6.74, CW 6.29, LL 0.61, LW 1.38, SL 3.37, SW 3.39.
COLOUR. As in male.
CEPHALOTHORAX. Carapace and chelicerae as shown in Fig. 120. Clypeus and eye group as in Fig. 178. Eye diameters and interdistances: AME 0.20(0.26), ALE 0.32, PLE 0.24, PME 0.17; AME–AME 0.22(0.16), ALE–AME 0.16(0.13), ALE–PLE 0.16, PLE–PME 0.08, PME–PME 0.59. Cheliceral rastellum absent. Each cheliceral furrow with 7 promarginal teeth and 5–6 mesobasal denticles. Sternum, labium and maxillae as shown in Fig. 239. Maxillae with 53–55 cuspules each.
LEGS. Scopula: distal on metatarsi I–II; entire on palpal tarsus and tarsus I–II; vestigial on tarsi III–IV. Trichobothria: 2 rows of 9–11 each on tibiae, 16–18 on metatarsi, 13–16 on tarsi. Palpal claw with 6 promarginal teeth. PTC I–IV with 7–8 and 10–11 teeth on inner and outer margins, respectively.
SPINATION. Femora I–IV with 1–2 basodorsal spines and 2–3 dorsal bristles; palpal patella, patella I, and tarsi I–IV aspinose. Palp: femur d3, pd1; tibia p1, v7; tarsus v3(2). Leg I: femur pd1; tibia p1, v5; metatarsus v6(5). Leg II: femur pd3; patella p1; tibia p2(1), v6(5); metatarsus v6. Leg III: femur pd2, rd2; patella p2, r1; tibia d1, p2, r2, v7(6); metatarsus p4, r2, v7. Leg IV: femur rd1; patella r1; tibia d1, p3, r3, v7; metatarsus p4, r4, v7(6).
SPERMATHECAE. Each of paired spermathecae Y-shaped; a relatively high and narrow base together with inner branch form spermathecal trank; the latter carries a club-like outer branch diverging close to medium part of this structure (Fig. 515).
SPINNERETS. See Figs 578–579. PMS: length 0.52, diameter 0.19. PLS: maximal diameter 0.78; length of basal, medial and apical segments 1.05, 0.69, 0.88; total length 2.62; apical segment short digitiform.
Variation
Carapace length in males (n =2) varies from 3.67 to 5.94, in females (n=11) from 5.37 to 6.74. Variation in details of the coloration, and in structure of the spermathecae as shown in Figs 45, 72, 513–514, 516.
Ecology
Raveniola ornata sp. nov. inhabits montane slopes and flattened summits between 1500 and 2200 m a.s.l., covered by shrubland and open park forest dominated by species of Acer L., Prunus L., Juniperus seravschanica and Cercis griffithii Boiss. (Figs 667–673). All spiders were found under stones.
Distribution
The far southern Uzbekistan and the southwestern Tajikistan. Despite a thorough search, the spiders were not found at altitudes below 1500 m a.s.l. (although the bottoms of intermontane semidesert valleys are located at an altitude of 500–1000 m a.s.l.). Therefore, the known species range is not continuous. The range of this species is mosaic, since all above-listed localities are confined to the upper zone of several low ridges (representing, within the entire area, the less aridized isolated biotopes); currently, these are entirely separated from each other. See Fig. 753.
description: Published as part of Zonstein, Sergei L., 2024, A revision of the spider genus Raveniola (Araneae, Nemesiidae). II. Species from Central Asia, pp. 1-185 in European Journal of Taxonomy 967 on pages 39-42, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2024.967.2699, http://zenodo.org/record/13990819