Raveniola adjarica sp. nov.
urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:BCF871CB-E0C5-4A75-B376-EA83C72B04A5
Figs 43–44, 84, 102, 117, 129, 149, 171–173, 198, 219
Brachythele pontica Spassky, 1937: 368 (♀, part; misidentified).
Diagnosis
Different from other species in the same group by having a relatively short embolus with a rounded submedian keel (Figs 171–173; cf. Figs 174–179) and long, asymmetrical spermathecae with median receptacles being considerably longer than laterals (Fig. 198, cf. Figs 199–203).
Etymology
The specific epithet, a Latinized adjective, is derived from Adjaria (also Adjara or Adzharia), the historical region and administrative province of Georgia where the species was found.
Material examined
Holotype GEORGIA: ♂, South slope of Meskheti Mts, Kintrishi Valley, 3 km NE of Khino, 900–950 m, 41°43.8′ N, 42°03.5′ E, 7 Sep. 1989, S.L. Zonstein leg. (TAU) .
Paratypes (1 ♂, 3 ♀♀) GEORGIA: 2 ♀♀, same collection data as for holotype, but 7–8 Sep. 1989 (TAU); 1 ♂, 1 ♀, Kintrishi Valley, 0.5 km W of Zerabozeli, 450 m, 41°44.0′ N, 41°59.2′ E, 15 Sep. 1989, S.L. Zonstein leg. (TAU).
Additional material (2 ♀♀, 1 juv.)
GEORGIA: 1 ♀, Batumi, 1909, S.A. Spassky leg. (ZISP, paralectotype of Brachythele pontica); 1 ♀, same locality, no other collecting data (MNHN 10338); 1 juv., surroundings of Batumi, Mt Feria, 250 m, 9 Feb. 1982, D.V. Logunov leg. (TAU).
Description
Male (holotype)
HABITUS. See Fig. 43.
MEASUREMENTS. TBL 13.10, CL 5.43, CW 4.88, LL 0.47, LW 1.03, SL 2.52, SW 2.38.
COLOUR. Carapace brownish rufous with slightly lighter yellowish rufous pattern covering foveal area and protruding into few weak radial rays on darker background; eye tubercle with central and two symmetrical lateral brownish black spots surrounding AMEs and lateral eyes respectively; chelicerae and first pair of legs reddish brown; palps and legs II–IV brownish rufous; sternum, labium and maxillae light yellowish rufous; abdomen dorsally light greyish brown, with weak and darker brownish pattern represented by median lanceolate patch fused and crossed with few transverse fasciae; spinnerets and ventral surface of abdomen light yellowish grey.
PROSOMA. Carapace and chelicerae as shown in Fig. 66. Clypeus and eye group as in Fig. 102. Eye diameters and interdistances: AME 0.15(0.20), ALE 0.23, PLE 0.15, PME 0.13, AME–AME 0.11(0.06), ALE–AME 0.10(0.08), ALE–PLE 0.08, PLE–PME 0.04, PME–PME 0.40. Each cheliceral furrow with 10 promarginal teeth and 5 mesobasal denticles. Maxillae with 7–8 cuspules each.
LEGS. Tibia and metatarsus I as in Fig. 129. Scopula: in distal 1/3 of metatarsi I–II, entire on tarsi I– II, vestigial and widely divided by setae on tarsus III, absent on tarsus IV. Trichobothria: 2 rows of 9–11 per row on tibiae, 10–15 on metatarsi, 10–12 on tarsi, 9 on cymbium. Paired claws of tarsi I–II: outer and inner margins with 7–8 teeth each; claws of tarsi III–IV: outer and inner margins with 8–10 teeth each.
SPINATION. Palp: femur d1–1–1–1(2), pd1, rd1; patella p1; tibia d1, p1–1–1, r1–1, v2–2–2; tarsus d4. Leg I: femur d1–1–1–1, pd1–1–1, rd1; tibia p1–1(0), pv1–1, rv1–1–m–m; metatarsus v0–0–3. Leg II: femur d1–1–1–1, pd1–1–1; patella p1; tibia p1–1–1, v2–2–3; metatarsus p1, v1–2–3. Leg III: femur d1–1–1–1, pd1–1(0)–1, rd1–1(0) –1; patella p1, r1; tibia d1–1, p1–1, r1–1–1, v2–2–3; metatarsus d1–1, p1–1–1, r1–1–1, v2–3–3. Leg IV: femur d1–1–1–1–1(0), pd1, rd1(0)–1; patella r1; tibia d1–1, p1–1, r1–1, v2– 2–3; metatarsus d1–1, p1–1–1–1, r1–1(0)–2–1–2, v1–2–2–1–3–3. Patella I and tarsi I–IV (except right tarsus III carrying 1 retrolateral spine) aspinose.
PALP. Tibia, cymbium and palpal organ as shown in Fig. 149. Wide and flattened basal part of embolus provided with subapical keel extends into twisted and narrow apical part of embolus (Figs 171–173).
SPINNERETS. PMS: length 0.75; diameter 0.28. PLS: maximal diameter 0.65; length of basal, medial and apical segments 1.22, 0.85, 1.23; total length 3.30; apical segment digitiform.
LEG MEASUREMENTS. ♂(♀).
| Femur | Patella | Tibia | Metatarsus | Tarsus | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palp | 2.95 (3.07) | 1.67 (1.95) | 2.35 (2.20) | – | 1.02 (2.12) | 7.99 (9.34) |
| Leg I | 4.55 (4.07) | 2.60 (2.57) | 3.57 (2.95) | 3.28 (2.43) | 2.01 (2.12) | 16.01 (13.77) |
| Leg II | 4.02 (3.55) | 2.25 (2.23) | 3.03 (2.72) | 2.85 (2.40) | 1.78 (1.73) | 14.23 (12.63) |
| Leg III | 3.17 (3.03) | 1.72 (1.90) | 2.46 (2.17) | 3.22 (2.75) | 1.79 (1.73) | 12.36 (11.58) |
| Leg IV | 4.47 (4.10) | 2.20 (2.25) | 3.43 (3.23) | 4.15 (3.88) | 2.02 (2.07) | 16.27 (15.53) |
Female (paratype, from Khino)
HABITUS. See Fig. 44.
MEASUREMENTS. TBL 15.90, CL 6.17, CW 4.48, LL 0.62, LW 1.33, SL 2.85, SW 2.60.
COLOUR. As in male, but with lighter, quite indistinct radial pattern on carapace and with lighter (yellowish rufous) clypeus.
PROSOMA. Carapace and chelicerae as shown in Fig. 84. Clypeus and eye group as in Fig. 117. Eye diameters and interdistances: AME 0.14(0.19), ALE 0.22, PLE 0.13, PME 0.13, AME–AME 0.14(0.08), ALE–AME 0.15(0.12), ALE–PLE 0.07, PLE–PME 0.07, PME–PME 0.51. Each cheliceral furrow with 10 promarginal teeth and 4–5 mesobasal denticles. Maxillae with 5–7 cuspules each.
LEGS. Scopula: distal on metatarsi I–II, entire on tarsus I and on palpal tarsus, narrowly divided by setae on tarsus II, elsewhere absent. Trichobothria: 2 rows of 11–14 each on tibiae, 11–14 on metatarsi, 10–12 on tarsi, 8 on palpal tarsus. Paired claws: outer and inner margins with 6–8 teeth each, palpal claw with 4 teeth on promargin.
SPINATION. Palp: femur d1+2b, pd1; tibia v2–2–3; tarsus v2–2–3. Leg I: femur d1+3b, pd1; tibia v2– 2–2; metatarsus v2–2–3. Leg II: femur d1+3b, pd1; tibia p1–1, v2–2–3; metatarsus p1, v2–2–3. Leg III: femur d1+3(4)b, pd2b, rd1–1; patella r1; tibia p1–1, r1–1, v2–2–3; metatarsus p1–1, r1–1, v2–2–3. Leg IV: femur d1+3b, pd2b, rd1; patella r1; tibia p1–1, r1–1, v2–2–3; metatarsus p1(0)–1–1, r1–1–1, v2–1(0)–2–3. Patellae I–II, and palpal patella aspinose.
SPERMATHECAE. Broad and asymmetrical, with widely spaced receptacles (Fig. 198).
SPINNERETS. PMS: length 0.36; diameter 0.26. PLS: maximal diameter 0.55; length of basal, medial and apical segments 0.70, 0.37, 0.65; total length 1.72; apical segment shortly digitiform.
Variation
Carapace length in males varies from 5.15 to 5.38, in females from 4.55 to 6.20. No variation in the structure of the male palpal organ has been observed. Female vulvas look surprisingly uniform and similar to the described type, even that in the conspecific female MNHN 10338 from Batumi, the known locality that is farthest from the type locality.
Ecology
The spiders collected from the Kintrishi area were found hiding in soil cavities under stones in chestnut and spruce mountain forests dominated by Castanea sativa Mill. and Picea orientalis L. (Link.), respectively.
Distribution
Known from the western part of the Caucasus Minor (Georgia: Adzharia). See Fig. 219.