Segestria shtoppelae, Fomichev & Marusik, 2020

Fomichev, Alexander A. & Marusik, Yuri M., 2020, Notes on the spider genus Segestria Latreille, 1804 (Araneae: Segestriidae) in the East Palaearctic with description of three new species, Zootaxa 4758 (2), pp. 330-346 : 331-333

Segestria shtoppelae sp. n.

Figs 1 C–D, 2C, 3B, 4C, 5A–B, 7A–B, D, 8B, D, 9E, F–I, 10B, E, H, I, M, N, 12A–B.

Types. KAZAKHSTAN: Almaty Region: holotype ♂ ( ISEA, 001.8438) and paratypes 5♂ 3♀ ( ISEA, 001.8439, 001.8440) Dzhungarian Alatau Mountains, Verkhnya Taldy River valley ( Usek River tributary), 44°25’52”N, 79°51’24”E, stony loess cliff, collected at night, 1320 m, 28.06.2016 ( AF) .

Etymology. The specific name is a matronym in honor of Larisa Shtoppel’ (Taldykorgan, Kazakhstan), a journalist and extreme tourism organizer who helped to organize an expedition to Kazakhstan, in which this new species was collected.

Diagnosis. The new species is most similar to S. turkestanica Dunin, 1986 and S. nekhaevae sp. n. and can be distinguished from these based on the lack of numerous small brown or dark-gray speckles on the abdomen in both sexes (cf. Figs 1C and 1E ; 2C and 2B ; 3B and 3 D–E). From S. turkestanica the new species differs by a cylindrical dorsal lobe (Dl) of the anterior “receptacle” (Ar) with narrowed tip (vs. club-shaped dorsal lobe) (cf. Figs 8B, D and 8E , G–H) and by more pronounced paddle on the tip of embolus (Ep) (cf. Figs 7D and 7C ). In addition, S. shtop- pelae sp. n. differs from S. nekhaevae sp. n. by much less pronounced pillar-shaped glands (Pi) on the walls of the ventral lobe (Vl) of the anterior “receptacle” (cf. Figs 9H and 8 I–J).

Description. Male (holotype). Total length 6.7. Carapace: 3.15 long, 2.3 wide. Leg measurements as in Table 1. Carapace light-brown, dark brown along the front edge. Chelicerae dark brown. Labium and maxillae brown. Sternum dirty-yellow. Palps light brown. Legs pale yellow, Ti–Ta of legs I, II brown. Abdomen and spinnerets beige with gray cardiac mark and several pairs of triangular gray spots dorsally; venter with two longitudinal gray stripes ( Figs 1 C–D, 2C). Leg spination as in Table 2.

Male palp ( Figs 5 A–B, 7A–B, D): cymbium long, as long as femur and as patella+tibia; bulb long, longer than tibia and cymbium, oblong-conical with three loops of sperm duct (Sd); sperm duct cylindrical, not tapering, with a distinct constriction just in the middle part of the bulb; tip of embolus almost straight, with a slight S-shaped bend (in anterior view of the bulb) and with a transparent paddle.

Female. Total length 9.8. Carapace: 3.65 long, 2.5 wide. Leg measurements as in Table 3. Coloration as in male, but Pt–Ta of legs I and II light brown ( Figs 3B , 4C ). Leg spination as in Table 4.

Endogyne ( Figs 8B, D , 9E , F–I, 10B, E, H, I, M, N): dorsal lobe of the anterior “receptacle” (Dl) S-shaped, cylindrical, with slightly thinner tip, lacking pillar-shaped glands; ventral lobe (Vl) of the anterior “receptacle” hexagonal, longer than wide, evenly covered with pillar-shaped glands (Pi); posterior “receptacle” (Pr) sac like, covered with numerous gland plates (Pg), each carrying from 2 to 8 conical glands standing in own compartments ( Fig. 10H ).

Size variations. Males: body length 6.7–7.8, carapace 3.15–3.45 long and 2.25–2.4 wide (n=5). Females: body length 8.5–9.8, carapace 3.4–3.85 long and 2.25–2.55 wide (n=3).

Distribution. Known only from the type locality.

Biology. Specimens were collected on a stony loess cliff at night ( Fig. 12A ). Females were sitting in tubewebs embedded in the wall of the cliff, whereas males were wandering freely.

Comments. The new species extends the known range of the Segestriidae in Asia by about 1.35° latitude to the north ( Fig. 12B ). The nearest known localities of Segestriidae belonging to S. turkestanica Dunin, 1986 are in the Kungei-Alatoo Mt. Range in the Issyk-Kul Region of Kyrgyzstan ( Dunin 1986) and in the Trans-Ili Alatau Mt. Range in the Almaty Region of Kazakhstan (the present record, see below). Other records of S. turkestanica are also confined to large mountain ranges of Kyrgyzstan. All these mountain ranges belong to the Tian Shan Mountains, which are separated from the Dzhungarian Alatau Mountains (the type locality of S. shtoppelae sp. n.) by low deserts of the Ili River valley. Unlike the new species, which was found in the open and xeric conditions, S. turkestanica lives in rather humid and even forested habitats such as Juglans regia and Picea schrenkiana forests ( Dunin 1986).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Habitus of the males of Segestria fengi sp. n. (A–B), S. shtoppelae sp. n. (C–D) and S. turkestanica (E–F). A, C, E, dorsal; B, D, F, ventral. Scale bars=1mm.

FIGURE 2. Lateral habitus of the males of Segestria fengi sp. n. (A), S. turkestanica (B) and S. shtoppelae sp. n. (C). Scale bars: A–B=1 mm, C=2 mm.

FIGURE 3. Dorsal habitus of the females of Segestria fengi sp. n. (A), S. shtoppelae sp. n. (B), Segestria sp. from India (C), S. turkestanica (D) and S. nekhaevae sp. n. (E). Scale bars: A, C=1 mm, B, D–E=2 mm.

FIGURE 4. Habitus of the females of Segestria fengi sp. n. (A), Segestria sp. from India (B, F), S. shtoppelae sp. n. (C), S. turkestanica (D) and S. nekhaevae sp. n. (E). A–E ventral; F lateral. Scale bars: A–C, E–F=1 mm, D=2 mm.

FIGURE 5. Male palp of Segestria shtoppelae sp. n. (A–B) and S. turkestanica (C–D).A, C, prolateral; B, D, retrolateral. Scale bars=0.2 mm.

FIGURE 7. Bulb and tip of embolus of Segestria shtoppelae sp. n. (A–B, D), S. turkestanica (C), S. bavarica (E) and S. fengi sp. n. (F). A, retrolateral; B, prolateral; C–D, F, anterior; E, from above. Scale bars:A–D, F=0.2 mm. E, courtesy by Pierre Oger. Abbreviations: Ep embolic paddle, Es embolic spine, Sd sperm duct.

FIGURE 8. Endogyne of S. fengi sp. n. (A), S. shtoppelae sp. n. (B, D), S. nekhaevae sp. n. (C, F, I–J) and S. turkestanica (E, G–H). A, C, H, I, ventral; B, D–G, dorsal; J, lateral. Scale bars: B–C=0.2 mm. Abbreviations: Dl dorsal lobe of the anterior “receptacle”, Gp genital plate, Pg glands of the posterior “receptacle”, Pi pillar-shaped glands, Vl ventral lobe of the anterior “receptacle”.

FIGURE 9. Endogyne of S. fengi sp. n. (A–D), S. shtoppelae sp. n. (E, F–I), and S. turkestanica (J–L). A, G–K, ventral; B–C, F, dorsal. Scale bar: F=0.2 mm. Abbreviations: Ar anterior “receptacle”, Pi pillar-shaped glands, Pr posterior “receptacle”, Vl ventral lobe of the anterior “receptacle”.

FIGURE 10. SEM micrographs of the endogynes of S. fengi sp. n. (A, D, G, L), S. shtoppelae sp. n. (B, E, H, I, M, N) and S. turkestanica (C, F, J–K, O). A, B, C, E, M, anterior; D, F, dorsal; I, L, ventral; J, K, lateral. Scale bars: A–B, D–E, I, N=0.1 mm, C, F, J–K, O=0.05 mm, G–H, M=0.01 mm.

FIGURE 12. Habitat of Segestria shtoppelae sp. n. (A) and collecting localities of Segestria species (B). S. fengi sp. n., diamond; S. nekhaevae sp. n., triangle; S. nipponica, inverted triangle; S. shtoppelae sp. n., square; S. turkestanica, circle; Segestria sp., star.