Mongolicosa przhewalskii, Fomichev, Alexander A. & Marusik, Yuri M., 2017

Fomichev, Alexander A. & Marusik, Yuri M., 2017, A survey of East Palaearctic Lycosidae (Araneae). 12. Two new Mongolicosa species from Mongolia, Zootaxa 4221 (2), pp. 233-241 : 234-235

Mongolicosa przhewalskii sp. n.

Figs 1 A–B, 2, 3A–C, 6

Types. Holotype ♂ ( ISEA 001.7216 ), MONGOLIA, Khovd Aimag, Baitag-Bogd-Uul Mt. Range, Khoshootyin- Khotol Mt. (45°13'N, 90°54'E), stony alpine meadow with rocks and screes, 3050 m, 4.07.2015 (A.A. Fomichev) . Paratypes: 1♀ 1♂ (ISEA 001.7217), 1♀ 1♂ (ZMMU) together with the holotype.

Etymology. The specific name is a patronym in honour of Nikolay M. Przhewalsky, an outstanding Russian geographer and explorer of Central Asia who had crossed the Baitag-Bogd-Uul Mt. Range (the type locality of the new species) in 1879.

Diagnosis. Based on the spaced lips of the epigyne, the new species can be assigned to the gobiensis -species group. The males differ from those of all congeners in having a broader embolic tip and a straight terminal apophysis. The females can be separated from that of the closest M. gobiensis and M. songi by the large and widely separated apical pockets of the epigyne and the receptacles with their tapering heads directed outward ( Fig. 3 C).

Description. Male (holotype). Total length 7.0. Carapace: 3.75 long, 2.9 wide. Colouration ( Fig. 1 B): carapace, sternum and labium black. Endites dark brown. Chelicerae black, with yellow stripes. Cymbium black basally, dirty yellow apically. Legs dark grey, with yellow stripes. Abdomen dorsally black, with russet cardiac mark, ventrally grey. Spinnerets black. Spination of leg I: Fe: d1-1-1 p0-0(1 on the other side)-2 r0-1-1; Pt: d2 p1 r1; Ti: d1-0-1 p1-0-0 r1-0-0 v2-2 -2-2; Mt: p1-1-0 r1(0)-1-0 v2-2.

Palp as in Fig. 2 : tibia and cymbium covered with dense black setae ( Fig. 2 B); tegular apophysis with 2 arms, of which the upper arm sharply pointed; palea with short process (Pp); terminal apophysis (Ta) straight, wide and short, not extending beyond embolus; embolus wide, gradually narrowing, with small spine in basal part, sperm duct runs on the mesal (inner) side of embolus.

Female. Total length 8.7. Carapace: 3.65 long, 3.05 wide. Colouration as in the male, but lighter and more brownish ( Fig. 1 A). Abdomen ventrally dirty yellow. Spination of leg I: Fe: d1-1-1(0) p0-0-2 r0-1-1; Pt: d2; Ti: d1- 1-0 p1-0-0 r1-0-1 v2-2 -2-1; Mt: p0-1-0 r0-1-0 v2-2.

Epigyne as in Figs 3 A–C: with widely spaced, large apical pockets, fovea inverted cone-shaped; septal stem with constriction near pentagonal base; base as wide as high, posterior margin parallel to epigastric fold, about half of the width of septal base. Receptacles with tapering heads directed outwards.

Size variation. Male body length varies from 6.8 to 7.0, carapace 3.6–3.75 long and 2.85–2.9 wide (n=3). Female body length varies from 8.3 to 8.7, carapace 3.65–3.7 long and 2.95–3.05 wide (n=2).

Distribution. The type locality only. It is very likely that the new species is an endemic of the Baitag-Bogd- Uul Mt. Range. This range is isolated from alpine areas of the neighbouring Altai and Eastern Tian-Shan by a desert belt of 130–190 km wide ( Fig. 6 ).

Biology. The new species inhabits screes near rock bases, at the altitudes of about 3000 m.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Habitus of Mongolicosa przhewalskii sp. n. (A – B) and M. uncia sp. n. (C – D). A, D female, dorsal; B, C male, dorsal. Scale = 2 mm.

FIGURE 2. Male palp of Mongolicosa przhewalskii sp. n. A ‒ B ventral and retrolateral; C – D bulb, ventral and retrolateral; E – G embolic division, ventral, anterior and retrolateral; H – I tegulum, ventral and anterior. Scale = 2 mm. Abbreviations: Em embolus, Es embolic spine, Pp process of palea, Sd sperm duct, Ta terminal apophysis.

FIGURE 3. Epigyne of Mongolicosa przhewalskii sp. n. (A – C) and M. uncia sp. n. (D – F). A, D intact, ventral; B, F after maceration, ventral; C, E after maceration, dorsal. Scale = 0.2 mm. Abbreviations: Le lips of epigyne, Sa septal base arms.

FIGURE 6. Distribution records of Mongolicosa species.