Mongolicosa uncia, 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 : 237-239

Mongolicosa uncia sp. n.

Figs 1 C–D, 3D–F, 4–6

Types. Holotype ♂ ( ISEA 001.7218 ), MONGOLIA, Khovd Aimag, Dzhargalant-Khairkhan Mt. Range, Ar- Shaatyn-Gol River valley (47°44'N, 92°27'E), pebble bank of dry river, 2100 m, 3.06.2015 (V.V. Doroshkin leg.) . Paratypes: 1 ♀ (ISEA 001.7219), together with the holotype; 1♂ ( ISEA 001.7220 ) same locality, 2100–2300 m, 25.06.2015 (R.V. Yakovlev, I.Yu. Evdokimov) ; 5♂ 3♀ (ISEA 001.7221), 5♂ 2♀ ( ZMMU) Khovd Aimag, Dzhargalant-Khairkhan Mt. Range, watershed of Ar-Shaatyn-Gol River and Dund-Uliastain-Gol River (47°42'N, 92°30'E), scree, 3300–3600 m, 25.06.2015 (A.A. Fomichev).

Etymology. The specific name is derived from the Latinized name of the snow leopard, Panthera uncia (Schreber, 1775) , reflecting the fact that the new species also occurs in the alpine zone of Central Asia.

Diagnosis. Based on the touching lips of the epigyne, the new species can be assigned to the pseudoferruginea -species group. The males can be easily separated from all congeners by the very strong embolic spine (about 1/2 of the embolus length; such spine is either absent from other species or is very small). The males also differ from other congeners in having the light (yellow) leg colouration (dark, uniformly coloured in other species). The females differ from the closest M. glupovi (Marusik et al. 2004: figs 208–212) in having wider apical pockets, the pear-shaped fovea and the lips that are thinner than the arms of septal base. From all other species of the group, the females can be distinguished by the septal base being as wide as the fovea and the fovea being as wide as long.

Description. Male (holotype). Total length 7.3. Carapace: 3.65 long, 2.9 wide. Colouration: carapace black. Sternum, chelicerae and labium dark brown ( Fig. 1 C). Endites light brown. Palps: Fe—Pt brown, Ti black. Cymbium black basally, dirty yellow apically. Legs yellow, with brown spots and stripes. Pt—Ta of legs I and II bright yellow. Abdomen dorsally black, with russet cardiac mark, ventrally dirty yellow. Spinnerets black. Spination of leg I: Fe: d1-1-1 p0-1-2 r0-1-1; Pt: d2 p1 r1; Ti: d1-0-1 p1-0-0 r1-0-0 v2-2 -2-2-0(1); Mt: p1-1-0 r1-1- 0 v2-2.

Palp as in Figs 4–5 ; tibia and cymbium covered with dense black setae ( Fig. 4 B); tegular apophysis with two arms, of which the upper arm sharply pointed; palea with small sclerotized part retrolaterally; terminal apophysis large and extended beyond embolus; embolus wide, its basal part with a very strong spine, embolic tip pointed; sperm duct runs closer to the outer (ventral) margin of embolus.

Female. Total length 8.0. Carapace: 3.85 long, 2.95 wide. Colouration as in the male, but legs brown, with yellow spots ( Fig. 1 D). Spination of leg I: Fe: d1-1-0 p0-1(0)-2 r0-1-1; Pt: d2; Ti: d1-0-1 p1-0-0 r1-0-1(0) v2-2 -2- 1(2)-1(0); Mt: p0-1-0 r0-1-0 v2-2.

Epigyne as in Figs 3 D–F: apical pocket shallow, composed by two almost fused hoods, fovea pear-shaped, as wide as long; septal stem gradually widened, septal base anchor-shaped, more than 2 times wider than high, posterior edge triangular; lips of epigyne (Le) closely spaced, somewhat thinner than septal base arms (Sa). Receptacles converging, with club-shaped heads.

Size variation. Male body length varies from 6.8 to 8.0, carapace 3.4–3.9 long and 2.6–3.05 wide (n=7). Female body length varies from 8.0 to 9.8, carapace 3.75–4.15 long and 2.95–3.3 wide (n=5).

Distribution. The type locality only. It is likely to be an endemic of the Dzhargalant-Khairkhan Mt. Range situated in Great Lake Depression and separated from the main range of Mongolian Altai by lowland territories occupied by steppes and semideserts ( Fig. 6 ).

Biology. The species occurs in pebble banks and screes, at the altitudes from 2100 to 3600 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 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 4. Male palp of Mongolicosa uncia sp. n. A ‒ B ventral and retrolateral; C – D, H bulb, anterior, ventral and retrolateral; E – G embolic division, anterior, posterior and ventral. Scale = 0.2 mm. Abbreviations: Es embolic spine, Sd sperm duct.

FIGURE 5. SEM microphotographs of the male palp of Mongolicosa uncia sp. n. A – B embolic division, anterior and posterior; C, F tegulum, ventral and anterior; D – E embolic division, ventral and ventro-retrolateral. Scale = 0.2 mm if not otherwise indicated. Abbreviations: Es embolic spine, Pp process of palea, Ta terminal apophysis.

FIGURE 6. Distribution records of Mongolicosa species.