Raveniola afghana sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 4CC0D56D-66E1-4890-8A23-AC5529B927BB

Figs 37, 111, 167, 230, 310, 489–490, 559, 750

Anemesia tubifex – Denis 1958: 82 (♀; misidentified, not Nemesia tubifex Pocock, 1889).

Raveniola sp. aff. concolor – Zonstein 2018b: 48 (♀).

Diagnosis

The new species shares with Raveniola alajensis sp. nov., R. hirta sp. nov. and R. karategensis sp. nov. the presence of modified long hairs on the female tibia and metatarsus IV (Fig. 310 cf. Figs 311, 314, 316–317). Females of R. afghana sp. nov. are well distinguishable by the long twisted branches of their spermathecae vs dissimilarly arranged spermathecal branches in all other species included in the same group known from females (Figs 489, 490 cf. Figs 491–525).

Etymology

The specific epithet is derived from the name of the country (among the meanings of ‘Afghan’, one corresponds to a native or inhabitant of Afghanistan); the gender is feminine.

Material examined

Holotype

AFGHANISTAN • ♀; Bāmīān Province, Koh-i-Baba Mts, Tarapas; 34°29′ N, 67°08′ E; 3200 m a.s.l.; 23 Jul. 1948; N. Haarløv leg.; NHMD.

Paratype s (11 ♀♀)

AFGHANISTAN • 6 ♀♀; same data as for holotype, Pushtah-ye Guli (Puistangoli, as labeled); 34°35′ N, 67°09′ E; 3000–3400 m a.s.l.; 1 Aug. 1948; N. Haarløv leg.; NHMD • 5 ♀♀; Wardak Province, Sar-e Djejanghana in vicinity of Mt Shan Fuladi; [34°39′ N, 67°38′ E]; 3000–3400 m a.s.l.; 8 Aug. 1948; N. Haarløv leg.; NHMD .

Description

Female (holotype)

HABITUS. See Fig. 37.

MEASUREMENTS. TBL 26.80, CL 9.31, CW 7.98, LL 1.04, LW 1.80, SL 5.18, SW 4.29.

COLOUR. Carapace, palps and legs dorsally medium yellowish brown; chelicerae, thoracic fovea and radial grooves of carapace dark brownish orange; eye tubercle with fused blackish brown rings surrounding AMEs and lateral eyes; sternum, labium, maxillae, palps and legs ventrally yellowish orange; abdomen dorsally medium chestnut brown with poorly discernible darker brown dorsal chevron-like pattern, venter of abdomen including spinnerets uniformly dark yellow.

CEPHALOTHORAX. Carapace and chelicerae as shown in Fig. 111. Clypeus and eye group as in Fig. 167. Eye diameters and interdistances: AME 0.20(0.28), ALE 0.37, PLE 0.24, PME 0.22; AME–AME 0.20(0.12), ALE–AME 0.23(0.19), ALE–PLE 0.23, PLE–PME 0.07, PME–PME 0.68. Chelicerae with weak rastellum of ca 40 dense spikes located in front of fang base. Each cheliceral furrow with 7 promarginal teeth and 3 mesobasal denticles. Sternum, labium and maxillae as shown in Fig. 230. Posterior pair of sternal sigilla oval and located distantly from sternal edge. Maxillae with ca 60 cuspules each.

LEGS. Tibia, metatarsus and tarsus IV covered with long, thin and dense dorsal hairs, 2–2.5 times as long as maximal width of corresponding segment (Fig. 310). Scopula: entire and distal on metatarsi I–II, entire on palpal tarsus and tarsi I–II, proventral and mixed with setae on tarsus III, absent on tarsus IV. Trichobothria: 2 rows of 10–11 each on tibiae, 21–24 on metatarsi, 18–20 on tarsi. Palpal claw with 6 teeth. PTC I–IV with 6–7 teeth on inner and 7–9 teeth on outer margin.

LEG MEASUREMENTS.

SPINATION. Palpal femur and femora I–IV with 1 basodorsal spine and 4–5 dorsal bristles; patellae I and IV, and tarsi I–II aspinose. Palp: femur pd1; patella v1; tibia p1, v14(12); tarsus v2. Leg I: femur pd1; tibia p1, v4(3); metatarsus p1, v2a. Leg II: femur pd1; patella p1; tibia p3(2), v6; metatarsus p3, v7. Leg III: femur pd2, rd2; patella p3; tibia p2, r2, v7; metatarsus p3, r3, v9; tarsus p2. Leg IV: tibia v5(4); metatarsus p4, r3, v9; tarsus p1.

SPERMATHECAE. F-shaped, with moderately low and narrow bases broadly spaced from each other, each with two long, narrow, diverged and twisted stalks, and slightly dilated inner and outer terminal heads (Fig. 490).

SPINNERETS. See Fig. 559. PMS: length 0.83, diameter 0.39. PLS: maximal diameter 1.04; length of basal, medial and apical segments 1.90, 0.97, 0.91; total length 3.78; apical segment triangular.

Male

Unknown.

Variation

Carapace length in females (n =8) varies from 9.31 to 11.96. The variation in the shape of the spermathecae as shown in Figs 489–490.

Ecology

The species inhabits woodless slopes in the alpine zone at an altitude of 3000–3400 m a.s.l. According to Denis (1958), the spiders were collected from their burrows with an open (unprotected) entrance.

Distribution

Central Afghanistan: Koh-i-Baba Mts. See Fig. 750.

Notes

Denis (1958) estimated the carapace length in the collected females as ranging from 10 to 14 mm. The measured actual length of the carapace in these females is somewhat shorter, as noted above.