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

description: Raveniola kirgizica sp. nov.
urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 11E652E9-0591-46EB-AEBD-97E713558C10
Figs 20, 55, 102, 129, 157, 187, 221, 248, 280, 304, 371, 441–442, 537, 601–603, 717–718, 756
Diagnosis
In possessing a gently twisted embolus, the male holotype of R. kirgizica sp. nov. resembles males of R. kopetdaghensis, R. mikhailovi and R. virgata. It can be distinguished from the former species in the presence of PMS (vs their absence in R. kopetdaghensis) and from the two latter species in possessing a noticeably longer tibia and metatarsus I (Fig. 280 cf. Figs 282–283, 286–287); the detailed structure of the embolus also looks different (Figs 441–442 cf. Figs 443–446, 454–458). The only known female (paratype) is distinguishable due to a specific conformation of the paired spermathecae, which are so small and thin, and so widely spaced from each other, that they can be reliably distinguished from the spermathecae in all other species of this group (Fig. 537 cf. Figs 334–536, 538–554).
Etymology
The specific epithet is a toponym referring to the range of this species: Kyrgyzstan (also Kirgizia).
Material examined
Holotype
KYRGYZSTAN • ♂; Alay Mts (northern slope), Kyrgyz-Ata Canyon, Karagoi Gorge; 40°03′ N, 72°36′ E; 2450 m a.s.l.; 22 May 1993; S. Zonstein leg.; SMNH.
Paratype
KYRGYZSTAN • 1 ♀; Alay Mts (northern slope), Beleuli Canyon, 15 km SW of Gulcha Town, environs of Chon-Beleuli Village; 40°14′ N, 73°37′ E; 2200 m a.s.l.; 28 Jul. 1988; S. Zonstein leg.; SMNH.
Additional material
KYRGYZSTAN • 1 juv.; Alay Mts (northern slope), Kurshab-Gulcha Canyon, 1 km SSE of Gulcha Town, left bank of Gulcha River; 40°18′ N, 73°27′ E; 1800–2000 m a.s.l.; 11 Aug. 1985; S. Zonstein leg.; SMNH.
Description
Male (holotype)
HABITUS. See Fig. 20.
MEASUREMENTS. TBL 12.50, CL 5.53, CW 4.64, LL 0.47, LW 0.92, SL 2.49, SW 2.38.
COLOUR. Carapace (except for slightly darker postocular band and radial groves), palps and legs light brownish orange; eye tubercle blackish brown; chelicerae light red; sternum, labium and maxillae pale yellowish orange; abdomen light greyish brown, dorsally with weakly developed medium sepia brown chevron-like pattern; book-lungs and spinnerets pale yellowish brown.
CEPHALOTHORAX. Carapace and chelicerae as shown in Fig. 102. Clypeus and eye group as in Fig. 157. Eye diameters and interdistances: AME 0.13(0.18), ALE 0.18, PLE 0.16, PME 0.13; AME–AME 0.14(0.09), ALE–AME 0.10(0.08), ALE–PLE 0.08, PLE–PME 0.05, PME–PME 0.35. Anterior cheliceral edge with unmodified setae; rastellum not developed. Intercheliceral tumescence indiscernible. Each cheliceral furrow with 10–11 promarginal teeth and 3 mesobasal denticles. MIT indiscernible. Sternum, labium and maxillae as shown in Fig. 221. Maxillae with 12 cuspules each.
LEGS. Tibia and metatarsus I as in Figs 280, 304. Scopula: entire and distal on metatarsi I–II; entire on tarsus I; narrowly divided by setae on tarsus II; widely divided on tarsus III; vestigial on tarsus IV. Trichobothria: 2 rows of 9–10 each on tibiae, 16–18 on metatarsi, 12–15 on tarsi, 11 on cymbium. PTC I–IV with 6–7 teeth on each margin.
SPINATION. Palp: femur d3, pd2, rd1; patella pd1; tibia d2, p3, r1, v12–15; cymbium d4. Leg I: femur d4, pd3, rd3; patella p1; tibia p2, pv1, r1, rv2+ 2M. Leg II: femur d4, pd3; patella p1; tibia p3, v7; metatarsus v5. Leg III: femur d4, pd3, rd3; patella p2, r1; tibia d3, p2, r2, v7; metatarsus d3, p3, r4, v9. Leg IV: femur d4, pd3, rd3; patella p1, r1; tibia d2, p3, r3, v7; metatarsus d4, p3, r3, v9. Metatarsus I and tarsi I–IV aspinose.
PALP. Tibia, cymbium and copulatory bulb as shown in Fig. 371. Embolus long tapering, clearly Sshaped in lateral view, and curved outwards along its entire length (Figs 441–442).
SPINNERETS. See Figs 601–602. PMS: length 0.34, diameter 0.12. PLS: maximal diameter 0.43; length of basal, medial and apical segments 0.73, 0.46, 0.51; total length 1.70; apical segment shortly digitiform.
LEG MEASUREMENTS. ♂(♀)
FemurPatellaTibiaMetatarsusTarsusTotalPalp2.89 (2.33)1.44 (1.59)2.41 (2.02)–0.87 (1.79)7.61 (7.73)Leg I4.61 (3.64)2.50 (2.17)3.79 (2.79)4.07 (2.24)2.11 (1.65)17.08 (12.49)Leg II4.32 (3.41)2.21 (2.09)3.63 (2.51)3.60 (2.29)2.09 (1.68)15.85 (11.98)Leg III4.07 (2.94)1.71 (1.78)3.22 (2.21)4.24 (2.63)2.34 (1.75)15.58 (11.31)Leg IV5.03 (4.10)2.18 (2.17)4.25 (3.09)5.96 (3.96)2.63 (2.01)20.05 (15.33)
Female (paratype)
HABITUS. See Fig. 55.
MEASUREMENTS. TBL 17.60, CL 5.32, CW 4.55, LL 0.53, LW 1.03, SL 2.48, SW 2.37.
COLOUR. Mostly as in male, but with noticeably paler dorsal abdomen. Dorsal pattern presented by only three pairs of short diffuse chevrons on posterior quarter of abdomen.
CEPHALOTHORAX. Carapace and chelicerae as shown in Fig. 129. Clypeus and eye group as in Fig. 187. Eye diameters and interdistances: AME 0.12(0.18), ALE 0.19, PLE 0.14, PME 0.12; AME–AME 0.17(0.11), ALE–AME 0.12(0.09), ALE–PLE 0.12, PLE–PME 0.05, PME–PME 0.43. Cheliceral rastellum absent. Each cheliceral furrow with 9 promarginal teeth and 2 mesobasal denticles. Sternum, labium and maxillae as shown in Fig. 248. Maxillae with 12–13 cuspules each.
LEGS. Scopula: entire and distal on metatarsi I–II; entire on palpal tarsus; narrowly divided with setae on tarsus I; widely divided on tarsus II; rudimentary and bilateral on tarsus III; absent on tarsus IV. Trichobothria: 2 rows of 8–9 each on tibiae, 13–15 on metatarsi, 12–14 on tarsi, 10 on palpal tarsus. Palpal claw with 3 promarginal teeth. PTC I–IV with 5–7 teeth on each margin.
SPINATION. Femora I–IV with one basodorsal spine and 4–5 dorsal spikes; palpal femur dorsally with 4 spikes; patellae I–II with 1 prodorsal spike; palpal patella, and tarsi I–IV aspinose. Palp: femur pd1; tibia p2, v8(7); tarsus v5(4). Leg I: femur pd1; tibia p2, v7; metatarsus p1(0), v7(6). Leg II: femur pd1; tibia p2, v7; metatarsus v7. Leg III: femur pd2, rd2; patella p2, r1; tibia d1, p2, r2, v7; metatarsus d4, p3, r3, v7. Leg IV: femur pd1, rd1; patella p1, r1; tibia d1, p2, r2, v7; metatarsus d3, p4, r4, v8.
SPERMATHECAE. Individual spermathecae widely spaced from one another. Each of paired spermathecae Y-shaped with relatively short and narrow base dividing into a pair of equally thin but unevenly long branches: shorter inner and longer outer ones (Fig. 537).
SPINNERETS. See Fig. 603. PMS: length 0.30, diameter 0.14. PLS: maximal diameter 0.53; length of basal, medial and apical segments 1.08, 0.62, 0.48; total length 2.18; apical segment triangular.
Ecology
The spiders were found under stones in sparse montane forest, dominated by Juniperus spp. (chiefly, by J. turkestanica Kom. and J. seravschanica). The landscape and the natural biotope of the type locality is shown in Figs 717–718.
Distribution
Known only from the type locality. See Fig. 756.
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 64-66, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2024.967.2699, http://zenodo.org/record/13990819