Nesticus tennesseensis (Petrunkevitch, 1925)

Hedin, Marshal & Milne, Marc A., 2023, New species in old mountains: integrative taxonomy reveals ten new species and extensive short-range endemism in Nesticus spiders (Araneae, Nesticidae) from the southern Appalachian Mountains, ZooKeys 1145, pp. 1-130 : 1

Nesticus tennesseensis (Petrunkevitch, 1925)

Figs 21A-C , 22A-G

Ivesia tennesseensis Petrunkevitch, 1925: 321, pl. 20, figs 4, 7, 10.

Yvesella tennesseensis : Arndt 1928: 84.

Ivesia tennesseensis : Bishop 1950: 10, figs 5-8.

Nesticus tennesseensis : Gertsch 1984: 23, figs 58-63, 82-84.

Material examined.

New collections from type locality: - Tennessee, Grainger Co. • 2♂, 2♀; Indian Cave , E of Blaine; 25 Sep. 1991; M. Hedin, K. Crandall leg. ; • 3♂, 12♀; Indian Cave , E of Blaine; 21 Sep. 1992; M. Hedin, S. O’Kane leg. ; • ♂, ♀, 5 imm; Indian Cave , TGA4; 22 Feb. 2014; M.L. Niemiller, A.S. Engel, S. Engel, A. Paterson leg. ; MLN 14-010.7; Non type material: USA - North Carolina, Surry Co. • ♀, 1 imm; vic Fisher Peak lookout tower, SE of Blue Ridge Parkway; 36.559°N, - 80.8276°W; 12 Aug. 2007; M. Hedin, R. Keith leg. ; MCH 07_091; - Tennessee, Carter Co. • 3♀; off Hwy 167/321, near Watauga Lake , along Little Stony Creek ; 36.309°N, - 82.0732°W; 23 Aug. 2005; M. Hedin, R. Keith, J. Starrett, S. Thomas leg. ; MCH 05_078; - Tennessee, Roane Co. • 5♂, ♀, 11 imm; Berry Cave , TRN3; 28 Jun. 2014 ; M.L. Niemiller, C.D.R. Stephen, A.S. Engel, et al. leg.; MLN 14-034.1; - Virginia, Alleghany Co. • ♂; Island Ford Cave, west of Low Moor , VA; 12 Jun. 2020; T. Malabad, P. Tegelman Malabad, K. Malabad, A. Malabad leg. ; • 6♂, 7♀; Rumbold’s Cave, near Callaghan ; 16 Sep. 1992; M. Hedin, S. O’Kane leg. ; - Virginia, Craig Co. • 2♂, 4♀; Walkthrough Cave, sw of Newcastle ; 10 Oct. 1993; M. Hedin, C. Phillips leg. ; - Virginia, Giles Co. • 6♂, 7♀; Ballard’s Cave, just S Pearisburg ; 9 Oct. 1993; M. Hedin, C. Phillips leg. ; • 2♂, 4♀; Dead Doe Cave ; 1 Jul. 2019; T. Malabad leg. ; • ♀; Doe Mountain Cave ; 16 Aug. 2019; T. Malabad leg. ; • ♂; Hodges Cave, 3.5 miles southwest of Pearisburg , VA; 26 Nov. 2019; T. Malabad, K. Kosič Ficco leg. ; • ♀; Little Stony Creek , NE of Pembroke; 37.3565°N, - 80.5921°W; 10 Oct. 1993; M. Hedin, C. Phillips leg. ; • ♂; Mountain Lake Biological Station, Jefferson Nat Forest ; 37.3755°N, - 80.5158°W; 11 Jul. 2013; C Richart leg. ; • 4♂, 10♀; Starne’s Cave, SW Pearisburg, Wilburn Valley ; 10 Oct. 1993; M. Hedin, C. Phillips leg. ; • ♂ 5 imm; Starnes Cave ; 3 Jun. 2019; T. Malabad leg. ; • ♂, 4♀, 15 imm; Yer Cave ; 9 Aug. 2019; T. Malabad leg. ; - Virginia, Montgomery Co. • 4♀, 1 imm; Hancock Blowhole Cave ; 14 Dec. 2014; E. Koertge leg. ; - Virginia, Scott Co. • ♀, 6 imm; Coley Cave #2; 15 Sep. 2015; W. Orndorff leg. ; • ♀; Herrons Echo Hall ; 4 Aug. 2016; T. Malabad leg. ; - Virginia, Tazewell Co. • 6♂, 11♀; Cassell’s Farm Cave, Burkes Garden ; 9 Oct. 1993; M. Hedin, C. Phillips leg. ; • 2♀, 2 imm; Cauliflower Cave ; 24 Oct. 2018; T. Malabad leg. ; • 2 imm; Corkscrew Cave ; 4 Mar. 2017; K. Kosič Ficco leg. ; • ♀, 4 imm; Corkscrew Cave ; 27 Oct. 2018; T. Malabad leg. ; • 4♂, 8♀; Fallen Rock Cave, Ward Cove, S Maiden Spring ; 9 Oct. 1993; M. Hedin, C. Phillips leg. ; • ♂; Gillespie Water Cave, southwest of Liberty , VA; 9 Sep. 2019; T. Malabad, K. Kosič Ficco, A. Futrell leg. ; • ♂, 4♀, 9 imm; Glenwood Church Cave ; 24 Oct. 2018; T. Malabad leg. ; • ♀, 5 imm; Gulley Cave ; 22 Jul. 2019; T. Malabad leg. ; • 2♀, 3 imm; Little River Cave ; 29 Nov. 2018; T. Malabad leg. ; • 3♀, 4 imm; Lost Mill Cave 1; 22 Jul. 2019; T. Malabad leg. ; • 2♀, 2 imm; Lost Mill Cave 2; 22 Jul. 2019; T. Malabad leg. ; • 2♀; Stompbottom Cave, southeast of Claypool Hill , VA; 5 May. 2021; T. Malabad, K. Kosič Ficco, M. Ficco leg. ; • ♂, 3♀; Stonley Cave ; 10 Jan. 2019; T. Malabad leg. ; - West Virginia, Raleigh Co. • ♂, 5♀; Grandview State Park, New River Gorge ; 37.8321°N, - 81.0614°W; 15 Sep. 1992; M. Hedin, S. O’Kane leg.

Diagnosis.

Nesticus tennesseensis and N. dilutus are morphologically similar sister species. Male differences are noted in the Diagnosis of N. dilutus below. Male N. tennesseensis may be differentiated from other members of this species group by the combination of palps with a paracymbium with a wide, broad ventral process, rectangular paradistal paracymbial process, a rectangular median apophysis with an anteriorly-pointed sclerotized edge, and a narrow, singularly-pointed tegular apophysis that extends to ~ half the length of the median apophysis (Fig. 21A-C ). Females may be differentiated from other members of this species group by an overall rounded epigynum with short, somewhat globular spermathecae that extend perpendicular to the median septum (Fig. 22A-G ). Viewed dorsally, circular pockets lie above extended parallel separated medial margins that diverge posteriorly.

Variation.

The shape of the tegular apophysis varies slightly across sample locations. Specimens from most locations (similar to type material from Indian Cave) possess a tegular apophysis with a broad, L-shaped base and an acute tip (see Gertsch, 1984: fig. 58), whereas other specimens have a narrower base with a gradually tapering tip (Fig. 21A, C ). Different specimens from the Fallen Rock Cave population exhibit both conditions (Fig. 21B, C ). We observed only minor variation in epigyna (Fig. 22A-G ), even for geographically disjunct southeastern Surry and Carter County populations (Figs 13 , 22C-F ).

Distribution and natural history.

Known from both limestone caves (both shallow and deeper situations) and dark, cool, relatively moist near-surface habitats (e.g., rock piles, shallow cliff caves). Most known populations are from caves in the upper-central Appalachian Valley and Ridge, with a few peripheral montane surface populations (e.g., Surry County, NC; Carter County, TN; Raleigh County, WV). The southeastern Surry and Carter County populations appear disjunct, separated from the remainder of the species’ range by regions occupied by other taxa in the species group (Fig. 13 ).

Remarks.

Gertsch (1984: 24-25) incorrectly identified specimens from the following locations as Nesticus tennesseensis : Sensabaugh Saltpeter Cave (3 imm) and "Cave by Clinch River" (one ♀) specimens belong to N. paynei . Straley’s Cave No. 1 (2 imm), Harris Cave (1 ♀), and Potter’s Cave (1 ♂, 1 ♀) specimens belong to N. mimus .

Figures

Figure 13. Distribution of Nesticus tennesseensis group species. Type localities designated with yellow circles. State boundaries and major cities shown for geographic context. Dashed lines circumscribe known species distributions.

Figure 21. Nesticus tennesseensis ♂ palps, ventral view A West Virginia, Raleigh Co., Grandview SP, MCH specimen # 1360 B Virginia, Tazewell Co., Fallen Rock Cave, MCH specimen # 1808 C Fallen Rock Cave, MCH specimen # 1807. Scale bar: 0.5 mm.

Figure 22. Nesticus tennesseensis epigynal variation. Tennessee, Grainger Co., Indian Cave, MCH specimen # 1010, ventral (A), dorsal (B). North Carolina, Surry Co., near Fisher Peak, MCH specimen # N 1126, ventral (C), dorsal (D). Tennessee, Carter Co., near Watauga Lake, MCH 05 _ 078, ventral (E), dorsal (F). West Virginia, Raleigh Co., Grandview SP, MCH specimen # 1362, ventral (G).