Gnaphosa aksuensis, Fomichev, 2019

Fomichev, Alexander A., 2019, A survey of East Palaearctic Gnaphosidae (Araneae). 10. Three new Gnaphosa species from the Dzhungarian Alatau Mountains (Eastern Kazakhstan), Zootaxa 4706 (4), pp. 569-579 : 570-571

Gnaphosa aksuensis sp. n.

Figs 1, 4 , 7, 10 , 13, 16, 19 , 23–25 .

Types. Holotype ♂ ( ISEA) KAZAKHSTAN, Almaty Region, upper reaches of the Aksu River, watershed of the Aksu and Krasnyi Yar rivers, 45°06’N, 79°35’E, mountain stony steppe with rocks and bushes, 1700–1800 m, 22.06.2016 (A.A. Fomichev) . Paratypes: 4♂ 3♀ ( ISEA) , 3♂ 2♀ ( ZMMU) together with the holotype .

Etymology. The specific name is derived from the Aksu River (the type locality).

Diagnosis. The new species is closely related to G. khovdensis Marusik, Fomichev & Omelko, 2014 , G. mataica sp. n., G. prashkevichi sp. n., and G. rasnitsyni Marusik, 1993 ( Table 1 ). The male of G. aksuensis sp. n. differs from males of all listed species, except for G. mataica sp. n., by the embolic spine (Es) directed prolaterally (vs directed anteriorly, ventrally, or retrolaterally in other species). It can be distinguished from G. mataica sp. n. by tibial apophysis as long as tibia (vs twice shorter than tibia) and by narrow lamina (El) in the middle part of prolateral edge of embolus (vs wide lamina). The new species readily differs from G. khovdensis and G. rasnitsyni by having a bent apex of the embolus instead of straight. Also, males of G. aksuensis sp. n. differ from those of G. prashkevichi sp. n. in having the base of embolus (Eb) starting at the posterior 1/3 of the bulbus (vs posterior 1/5 of the bulbus in the similar species). The female of G. aksuensis sp. n. can be separated from those of G. mataica sp. n., G. rasnitsyni , and G. serzonsteini Fomichev & Marusik, 2017 by having the stems of the receptacle head (Rs) separated from each other by about twice their diameters (stems touching each other in the similar species). From the latter two species G. aksuensis sp. n. differs in having the scape (Sc) with rounded a posterior margin (vs concave posterior margin). From G. mataica sp. n. the female of this new species can be distinguished in that the lateral margins of the fovea has narrowed pockets (Lp) (widened in the similar species). Female of G. aksuensis sp. n., unlike G. prashkevichi sp. n., has the epigynal fovea as long as wide with well-developed bulges (Fb) (vs fovea 1.5 times longer than wide, without bulges).

Description. Male (holotype). Total length 13.2. Carapace: 6.4 long, 4.95 wide. Carapace brown with darkbrown clypeus. Sternum brown, dark brown around the edges. Labium and maxillae dark brown, almost black. Chelicerae black. Palps brown. Legs yellow. Mt–Ta of legs I and II brown. Abdomen and spinnerets yellow-gray.

Leg measurements:

Palp as in Figs 1, 4 , 7, 10 , 13 ; tibial apophysis as long as tibia, with sharply pointed uncinate tip; tegular apophysis (Ta) bent prolaterally; embolus straight, with bent at a right angle apex; prolateral edge of embolus serrated and bears two laminae one in the middle part and another in the distal part; base of embolus extended, starts at posterior 1/3 of bulbus; upper part of embolic base bears spine directed prolaterally.

Female. Total length 16.8. Carapace: 6.7 long, 5.0 wide. Coloration as in male. Palps: Fe–Pt yellow, Ti–Ta dark brown. Spinnerets yellow.

Leg measurements:

Epigyne as in Figs 16, 19 ; fovea as long as wide, with pair of well-developed bulges; scape longer than wide, with rounded posterior margin; lateral margins of the fovea with narrow pockets, at an angle of about 45° to epigastral fold; glands of receptacles stretched horizontally.

Size variations. Males vary from 10.4 to 14.2 in the body length, carapace 4.7–6.8 long and 3.7–5.3 wide (n = 8). Females vary from 11.5 to 16.8 in the body length, carapace 6.2–7.4 long and 4.5–5.6 wide (n = 5).

Distribution. Known only from the type locality.

Figures

FIGURES 1–6. Male palps of Gnaphosa aksuensis sp. n. (1, 4), G. mataica sp. n. (2, 5) and G. prashkevichi sp. n. (3, 6). 1–3 ventral, 4–6 retrolateral. Scale bars = 0.2 mm.

FIGURES 7–12. Bulbus of Gnaphosa aksuensis sp. n. (7, 10), G. mataica sp. n. (8, 11) and G. prashkevichi sp. n. (9, 12). 7–9 ventral, 10–12 prolateral. Scale bars = 0.2 mm. Eb base of embolus, El embolic lamina, Es embolic spine, Ma median apophysis.

FIGURES 13–21. Bulbus and epigyne of Gnaphosa aksuensis sp. n. (13, 16, 19), G. mataica sp. n. (14, 17, 20) and G. prashkevichi sp. n. (15, 18, 21). 13–15 bulbus, apical; 16–18 epigyne, ventral; 19–21 macerated epigyne, dorsal. Scale bars = 0.2 mm. Es embolic spine, Fb foveal bulges, Lp pockets of lateral margins of the fovea, Rs stems of the receptacle head, Sc scape.

FIGURES 22–25. Habitus of Gnaphosa prashkevichi sp. n. (22) and collecting localities of species of Gnaphosa rasnitsyni- group (23–25). G. aksuensis sp. n., square, G. esyunini, pentagon, G. khovdensis, star, G. mataica sp. n., triangle, G. prashkevichi sp. n., circle, G. rasnitsyni, inverted triangle, G. serzonsteini, diamond. Frame on Fig. 23 refers to Fig. 24.