Raveniola virgata (Simon, 1891)

Figs 28–33, 60, 107, 133, 162–163, 192–193, 201, 226, 253, 286–287, 308, 343–348, 376, 454–458, 478, 486, 547–550, 614–615, 731–734, 739–746, 760

Brachythele virgata Simon, 1891: 304 (♂ ♀).

Brachythele arnoldii Zonstein, 1984b: 42, figs 1–6 (♂ ♀). Synonymized by Zonstein 1985: 159.

Brachythele virgata – Simon 1903: 965. — Reimoser 1919: 188. — Roewer 1942: 196. — Bonnet 1955: 912. — Zonstein 1984a: 145; 1985: 159.

Raveniola virgata – Zonstein 1987: 1015, figs 1–2 (♂ ♀); 2021: figs 3–4, 7–8, 11–12, 16–18 (♂ ♀). — Platnick 1989: 90. — Mikhailov 1996: 77; 1997: 20; 2013: 12. — Zonstein et al. 1996: 133; 2018: 78, 84, figs 165, 213 (♂ ♀). — Zonstein & Marusik 2012: 78, fig. 4 (♂). — Yunusov et al. 2022: 226.

Raveniola arnoldi – Platnick 1989: 90 (as synonym of R. virgata).

Raveniola arnoldii – Zonstein 2002c: 173, figs 3–6, 7 (♂ ♀).

Raveniola virgate – Bakhromova 2016: 258.

Diagnosis

Males of Raveniola virgata are distinguishable due to a unique array of generally unexceptional characters: a stouter tibia I with the megaspines set closer to each other; a gently curved and completely aspinose metatarsus I; a shorter and stouter palpal tibia; a moderately long and very gently twisted embolus. None of the sibling species ( R. mikhailovi, R. nenilini sp. nov. and R. vulpina sp. nov.) share the same combination. See Figs 28–30, 286–287, 308, 376, 454–458 cf. Figs 283–284, 288–289, 306– 307, 309, 373–374, 377–378, 445–449, 459–465. Females of R. virgata differ poorly by their somatic structures from females of the related species and can be distinguished from them mostly by the specific structure of the spermathecae, with long inclined trunks and weakly diverging diverticula (Figs 547–550 cf. Figs 538–543, 551–554).

Material examined

Lectotype

KYRGYZSTAN • ♂ (no other data except “ Margelhan ”, the labeled locality seems to be given as a relatively close geographic point, known at that time; most likely, it does not correspond to the current Margelan in Fergana Region, Uzbekistan); MNHN 6506–B361.

Paralectotype

KYRGYZSTAN • 1 ♀; collected together with the holotype and placed in the same vial .

Additional materia l (32 ♂♂, 131 ♀♀, 3 juvs)

KYRGYZSTAN • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; Fergana Mts, Gava (labeled as “Kawa”); 41°15′ N, 72°50′ E; 1300– 1500 m a.s.l.; 1912; K. Küchler leg.; SMF • 1 ♂, 11 ♀♀; Fergana Mts, 2 km N of Charvak Village; 41°16.7′ N, 72°59.5′ E; 1100–1250 m a.s.l.; 5 May 1981; S. Zonstein leg.; SMNH • 4 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; 1000–1050 m a.s.l.; 28 May 1981; SMNH • 1 ♂, 7 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; 6–8 Jun. 1981; SMNH • 7 ♀♀; Fergana Mts, surroundings of Gumhana Village; 41°19′ N, 72°58′ E; 1300–1450 m a.s.l.; 1–2 Aug. 1981; S. Zonstein leg.; SMNH • 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; 24 Aug. 1981; SMNH • 1 ♂; Fergana Mts, Airy Gorge; 41°22.4′ N, 72°59.8′ E; 2050 m a.s.l.; 16 Oct. 1980; S. Zonstein leg.; ZISP • 1 ♂, 8 ♀♀; Fergana Mts, environs of Dashman Village; 41°21′ N, 73°00′ E; 1600–2000 m a.s.l.; 19–26 Oct. 1980; S. Zonstein leg.; SMNH • 7 ♀♀; Fergana Mts, Jaradar Gorge; 41°20′ N, 72°59′ E; 1350–1600 m a.s.l.; 10–13 Jun. 1979; S. Zonstein leg.; SMNH • 2 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; 18 Oct. 1980; SMNH • 9 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; 3–10 Jun. 1982; SMNH • 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; 25 Jun. 1981; SMNH • 2 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; 10–14 Oct. 1982; SMNH • 2 ♂♂, 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; 29 May 1984; SMNH • 2 ♂♂, 3 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; 10–11 Oct. 1985; SMNH • 1 ♂; same collection data as for preceding; 16 Apr. 1981; M.A. Kozlov leg.; ZMMU • 3 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; 29 Sep. 1983; K.Y. Eskov leg.; ZMMU • 3 ♀♀; Fergana Mts, vicinity of Arslanbob Town; 41°20.0′– 41°22.3′ N, 72°56.5′– 72°58.0′ E; 1550–2100 m a.s.l.; 23 Jun. 1981; S. Zonstein leg.; SMNH • 18 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; 2–9 Jul. 1981; SMNH • 3 ♂♂, 4 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; 27 Sep.–12 Oct. 1983; SMNH • 17 ♂♂, 23 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; 22–24 Oct. 1992; SMNH • 1 ♀; Fergana Mts, Arslanbob Canyon; 41°24′ N, 72°58′ E; 2400 m a.s.l.; 5 Oct. 1982; S. Zonstein leg.; SMNH • 2 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; 2200 m a.s.l.; 30 Sep. 1983; S. Zonstein leg.; SMNH • 2 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; 2600–3000 m a.s.l.; 17 Jul. 1991; S.V. Ovchinnikov leg.; SMNH • 1 ♀; Fergana Mts, northern slope below Kenkol Pass; 41°32.6′ N, 73°02.5′ E; 2200 m a.s.l.; 21 Jul. 1993; S. Zonstein leg.; SMNH • 5 ♀♀; Fergana Mts, Karaungur Canyon, vicinity of Kenkol Lake; 41°31′ N, 73°02′ E; 1800 m a.s.l.; 16 Jul.1995; leg. S. Zonstein leg.; SMNH • 1 ♀; Fergana Mts, Kugart Canyon, near Kara-Alma Village; 41°13′ N, 73°20′ E; 1400–1500 m a.s.l.; 29 May 1979; S. Zonstein leg.; SMNH • 1 ♀; Fergana Mts, Yassy Canyon, Zindansai Gorge, 2.5 km N of Akterek Village; 40°53′ N, 73°41′ E; 1400 m a.s.l.; 18 Aug. 1985; S. Zonstein leg.; SMNH • 1 juv.; Alash Mts, Toskaul Canyon, Kerege-Tash Gorge; 41°15.5′ N, 72°39.4′ E; 1500 m a.s.l.; 13 May 1993; S. Zonstein leg.; SMNH • 4 ♀♀; Surentyube Mts, Changet Canyon, Telek (Toluk) Gorge; 40°57′ N, 73°11′ E; 1400 m a.s.l.; 9 Apr.1983; S. Zonstein leg.; SMNH • 2 juvs; same collection data as for preceding; Sarybulak Gorge; 40°59′ N, 73°17′ E; 1600 m a.s.l.; 2 Oct.1985; S. Zonstein leg.; SMNH .

Description

Male (lectotype MNHN 6506–B.361)

The figures used also partially refer to the most similar male from the vicinity of Arslanbob.

HABITUS. As shown in Figs 28, 29, 32, 33.

MEASUREMENTS. TBL ca 11.50, CL 4.56, CW 4.21, LL 0.47, LW 0.90, SL 2.35, SW 1.98.

COLOUR. Carapace, palps and legs medium foxy brown; tibia I slightly darker than other segments of legs I–IV; eye tubercle blackish brown; chelicerae medium red; sternum, labium and maxillae light yellowish brown; abdomen grayish brown, dorsally with brownish dorsal chevron-like pattern; epigastrum, book-lungs and spinnerets light yellowish brown.

CEPHALOTHORAX. Carapace and chelicerae as shown in Fig. 107. Clypeus and eye group as in Fig. 162. Eye diameters and interdistances: AME 0.15(0.20), ALE 0.26, PLE 0.20, PME 0.14;AME–AME 0.12(0.07), ALE–AME 0.08(0.06), ALE–PLE 0.07, PLE–PME 0.05, PME–PME 0.32. Anterior cheliceral edge with unmodified setae; intercheliceral tumescence absent (see Fig. 201). Each cheliceral furrow with 10 promarginal teeth and 4 mesobasal denticles (as in Fig. 343). Sternum, labium and maxillae as shown in Figs 226, 344. Maxillae with 12–14 cuspules each.

LEGS. Tibia and metatarsus I as in Figs 286, 308. Scopula: entire and distal on metatarsi I–II; entire on tarsi I–II; vestigial on tarsi III–IV. Trichobothria: 2 rows of 8 each on tibiae, 12–15 on metatarsi, 12–13 on tarsi, 9 on cymbium. Trichobothrial bases and tarsal organ of leg I as shown in Figs 345–347. Paired tarsal claws wide, unpaired claw small and sharply inclined ventrad (as in Fig. 348). PTC I–IV with 9–10 and 11 teeth on outer and inner margin, respectively.

SPINATION. Palp: femur d4, pd1, rd1; tibia d1, p3, r1, v6; cymbium d5. Leg I: femur d3, pd2; tibia p2, pv2, r2, rv2+ 2M. Leg II: femur d3, pd3; tibia p2, v6; metatarsus p1, v5. Leg III: femur d4, pd3, rd2; patella p2, r1; tibia d1, p4(3), r3, v6; metatarsus d4, p3, r3, v7(6). Leg IV: femur d4, pd3, rd2; patella r1; tibia d4, p3, r4, v6; metatarsus d4, p5, r4, v9. Palpal patella, patellae I–II, metatarsus I and tarsi I–IV aspinose.

PALP. Tibia, cymbium and copulatory bulb as shown in Fig. 376. Long, thin and very gently S-shaped embolus gradually tapering to apex (Figs 29, 454–455, 478).

SPINNERETS. See Figs 486, 614. PMS: length 0.28, diameter 0.13. PLS: maximal diameter 0.35; length of basal, medial and apical segments 0.60, 0.40, 0.38; total length 1.38; apical segment triangular.

LEG MEASUREMENTS. ♂(♀)

Female (paralectotype MNHN 6506–B.361)

The figures used also partially refer to the most similar female from Arslanbob.

HABITUS. As shown in Fig. 60.

MEASUREMENTS. TBL ca 12.50, CL 3.98, CW 3.42, LL 0.40, LW 0.77, SL 2.03, SW 1.80.

COLOUR. As in male, but uniformly coloured legs I–IV slightly paler; abdomen dorsally with more contrasting chevron-like pattern.

CEPHALOTHORAX. Carapace and chelicerae as shown in Fig. 133. Clypeus and eye group as in Fig. 192. Eye diameters and interdistances: AME 0.13(0.17), ALE 0.20, PLE 0.13, PME 0.11; AME–AME 0.11(0.07), ALE–AME 0.07(0.05), ALE–PLE 0.05, PLE–PME 0.03, PME–PME 0.28. Cheliceral rastellum absent. Each cheliceral furrow with 9 promarginal teeth and 3–4 mesobasal denticles. Sternum, labium and maxillae as shown in Fig. 253. Maxillae with 17–22 cuspules each.

LEGS. Scopula: entire and distal on metatarsi I–II; entire on palpal tarsus and tarsus I; narrowly divided by setae on tarsus II, absent on tarsi III–IV. Trichobothria: 2 rows of 9 each on tibiae, 12–14 on metatarsi, 11–12 on tarsi; 9 on palpal tarsus. Palpal claw with 4 promarginal teeth. PTC I–II with 5 teeth on each margin; PTC III–IV with 4 and 5–6 teeth on outer and inner margin, respectively.

SPINATION. Femora I–IV with one basodorsal spine and 3 dorsal spikes; palpal femur dorsally with 3 spikes; palpal patella, patellae I–II, and tarsi I–IV aspinose. Palp: femur pd1; tibia v7; tarsus v8(3). Leg I: femur pd1; tibia v5; metatarsus v5. Leg II: femur pd1; tibia p2, v5; metatarsus v6. Leg III: femur rd1; patella p1, r1; tibia d1, p2, r2, v7; metatarsus d3, p3, r3, v7. Leg IV: femur rd1; patella p1, r1; tibia d1, p2, r2, v7; metatarsus d1, p4, r3, v7.

SPERMATHECAE. Each of paired spermathecae Y-shaped with narrow base carrying two equally thick, long and weakly diverging branches (Fig. 547).

SPINNERETS. See Fig. 615. PMS: length 0.38, diameter 0.17. PLS: maximal diameter 0.69; length of basal, medial and apical segments 1.08, 0.64, 0.63; total length 2.35; apical segment triangular.

Variation

Carapace length in conspecific males (n= 21) varies from 4.14 to 5.62, in females (n =28) from 4.52 to 7.33. Variation in the colouration, in the structure of the eye group, and the male tibia and metatarsus I, as shown in Figs 30–33, 163, 193, 287. Variation in the structure of the copulatory bulb and the spermathecae as shown in Figs 456–458 and 548–550, respectively.

Ecology

Most of the collected spiders were found hiding in soil cavities under stones, or in leaf litter, in tall and dense montane forest at 1200–2200 m a.s.l., dominated by walnut, Juglans regia (Figs 731–734). Other specimens occured in a shrubland and fragmentary woodland area at 1000–1250 m a.s.l. (i.e., within the transition zone below the lower forest boundary), or in subalpine and alpine meadows at 2200–3000 m a.s.l., above the forested midland belt.

Distribution

Kyrgyzstan: Fergana Mts, including the northwestern spurs of this mountain ridge. See Fig. 760.

Notes

Simon (1891) very roughly defined the type locality of R. virgata as noted above. Bakhromova (2016) and Yunusov et al. (2022) noted this species for the entire Ferghana Depression (divided between Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan), without making distinctions between the countries represented here. No actual records in Uzbekistan have been registered since the original description of this species (1891). Conversely, all the examined congeners collected from this part of Uzbekistan were found to belong to R. ferghanensis . The assumed record of R. virgata in Kazakhstan (Logunov & Gromov 2012: 220) remains unconfirmed; most likely, it can be based on misidentified material.