Kut dimensis, Kunt, Elverici, Yagmur & Özkütük, 2019

Kunt, Kadir Bogac, Elverici, Mert, Yagmur, Ersen Aydin & Oezkuetuek, Recep Sulhi, 2019, Kut gen. nov., a new troglomorphic spider genus from Turkey (Araneae, Dysderidae), Subterranean Biology 32, pp. 95-109 : 95

Kut dimensis sp. nov. Figs 3 , 4

Material examined.

Holotype: 1 ♂ ( ETZM), Turkey: Antalya Province, Alanya District, Kestel Town , Dim Cave (36°32.405'N, 32°6.603'E), hand collecting from stalactites and stalagmites, 04 January 2013, leg. K.B. Kunt & M. Elverici. Paratypes: 3 ♂♂, 5 ♀♀, 4 juveniles ( ETZM), 1 ♂, 1 ♀ ( AZMM), same data as holotype .

Diagnosis.

Male palp of Kut dimensis sp. nov. closely resembles that of K. troglophilus (Brignoli, 1978) comb. nov. Kut dimensis sp. nov. palp differs by having an embolus with tip sharply bent posteriorly, instead of gradually, and by having a more slender tegulum. Difference between Kut dimensis sp. nov. and K. izmiricus sp. nov. palps is more distinct, since in K. izmiricus sp. nov. tegulum/embolus ratio is higher compared to other species of the genus. K. dimensis sp. nov. females differ from other species by having longer paraspermathecae compared to midspermathecae, which is the opposite in the other two species.

Derivatio nominis.

The specific name is a toponym that refers to the type locality, Dim Cave located at Dim Valley in Alanya District.

Measurements

(Holotype ♂ / Paratype ♀). AL 4.25/4.11; CL 4.40/4.25; CW 3.50/3.30; ChF 0.95/1.10; ChG 0.75/0.75; ChL 1.70/2.05.

Description.

Somatic traits of Kut dimensis sp. nov. resemble the other two species in general. Eye reduction at an extreme level, eyes almost absent ( Fig. 4A ). Anterior and posteriolateral eyes barely visible only under stereomicroscope, in a state of indistinct spots. Legs more slender than in K. troglophilus (Brignoli, 1978) comb. nov. Anterior metatarsi with ventral spines. See Tables 5 , 6 for details on leg measurements and spination.

Palp ( Fig. 4G, H ). Palpal tarsus shorter than tibia, conical. ¾ part of embolus continues straight after the separation from the tegulum, then bent with a sharp coil at the 4th quarter, shaped like an “L” towards posterior.

Vulva ( Fig. 4G, H ). Midspermatheca fingertip shaped, shorter than paraspermathecae. Paraspermathecae pin-shaped. Spermathecae surrounded by a dome-shaped chitinized structure. Spermathecae posteriorly with two lucent, strongly sclerotized, horizontally aligned bars.

Note.

Kut dimensis sp. nov. is not the first troglomorphic species recorded from its type locality, the Dim Cave. López-Pancorbo et al. (2013) described a troglobiont spider Kryptonesticus dimensis ( López-Pancorbo, Kunt & Ribera, 2013) ( Nesticidae ) from the same cave. A cave cricket Troglophilus alanyaensis Taylan et al., 2012 ( Orthoptera , Rhaphidophoridae ) is another endemic species known only from this cave.

The Dim Valley, the valley where the Dim Cave located, has been studied by our team extensively in the recent past. There have been new species of Dysderidae discovered and described like Harpactea alanyana Özkütük et al., 2015 and Harpactea ballarini Kunt et al., 2013. Furthermore, the locality has been extensively sampled by the first author, as it was covered in his MSc thesis, titled " Harpacteinae Fauna of Antalya Province". We provide these details to point out that Kut dimensis sp. nov. has not been found outside of the cave, in surface habitats, despite extensive sampling efforts, which is one of the reasons we consider this species a troglobiont.

Figures

Figure 3. Kut dimensis sp. nov., female. In situ in the Dim Cave (photograph by M. Elverici).

Figure 4. Kut dimensis sp. nov. A carapace B chelicerae C prosoma D male palp, retrolateral view E ditto, prolateral view F ditto, nearly anterior view G vulva, dorsal view H ditto, ventral view. Scale bars: 0.5 (D), 0.125 (G).