Acantholycosa kronestedti, Fomichev & Marusik, 2018

Fomichev, Alexander A. & Marusik, Yuri M., 2018, Five new species of the Acantholycosa - complex (Araneae: Lycosidae) from Mongolia, Zootaxa 4497 (2), pp. 271-284 : 274-278

Acantholycosa kronestedti sp. n.

Figs 2f‒j , 3d‒f , 4d‒f , 5d‒f , 6d‒f , 9b , 10

Types. Holotype ♂ ( MMUE, G7615.1) MONGOLIA, Govi-Altai Aimag, Khasagtyn-Nuruu Mt. Range , near Khoit-Bogd-Uul Mt. (46°48'N, 95°49'E), dry stony riverbed, 2800‒2900 m, 8.07.2017 (A.A. Fomichev) . Paratypes: 1♂ 3♀ ( MMUE, G7615.2) same locality (46°47'N, 95°50'E), mountain stony tundra with screes and rocks, 3400‒3500 m, 8.07.2017 (A.A. Fomichev).

Etymology. The specific name is a patronym in honor of our good friend and colleague, Torbjörn Kronestedt (Stockholm, Sweden), a well-known spider taxonomist who has made many important contributions to the arachnology.

Diagnosis. The male of A. kronestedti sp. n. can be distinguished from all its congeners by the presence of 2 embolic spines, one in the embolic base and another in its anterior half ( Figs 2f, h , 3d , 4d, f , 5f ) vs. either only a basal spine or no spines at all.

The female of A. kronestedti sp. n. is most similar to that of A. vahterae sp. n. in having an arch-shaped anterior pocket and well-developed septal lateral lobes. The two species can be distinguished by the shape and size of the lateral septal lobes, almost triangular with slanting lateral margins in A. kronestedti sp. n. and longer than wide with subparallel lateral margins in A. vahterae sp. n. (cf. Figs 6d‒f and 6a‒c ).

Description. Male (holotype). Total length 7.4. Carapace 3.9 long, 3.2 wide. Coloration: carapace, sternum and chelicerae black. Labium and endites yellow-gray. Palps: Fe‒Ti dark brown, cymbium black with yellow top. Legs: Fe black, Pt‒Ta yellow-gray. Leg IV darker than others. Abdomen black. Spination of leg I: Fe d1-1-1 p0-0- 2 r0-1-1; Pt p1 r1; Ti p1-0-0 r1-0-0 v2-2 -2-2; Mt p0-1-0 r0-1-0 v2-2.

Palp as in Figs 2f‒j , 3d‒f , 4d‒f , 5d‒f . Tegular apophysis without anterior arm. Embolus broad, with a large basal spine (Es) similar to a large triangular lamina, and a small spine (Ss) in its middle part; tip slightly widened. Paleal apophysis flat lanceolate; terminal apophysis with a spine-like process (Sp).

Female. Total length 8.6. Carapace 4.2 long, 3.3 wide. Colouration: carapace and sternum black. Labium and endites yellow-gray. Chelicerae dark brown. Palps brown. Legs dark brown, with almost black Fe. Abdomen black. Spination of leg I: Fe d1-1-1 p0-0-2 r0-1-1; Ti p1-0-0 r1-0-0 v2-2 -2-2; Mt p0-1-0 r0-1-0 v2-2.

Epigyne as in Fig. 6d‒f . Fovea large, as long as wide. Septum long with parallel lateral margins, not widened in posterior part, septum with large triangle-shaped lateral lobes (Sl), lobes wider than septum itself. A single, archshaped anterior pocket (Ap). Receptacles (Re) shorter than copulatory ducts (Cd), receptacles reaching the anterior margin of fovea; diverging.

Size variation. Males body length vary from 7.4 to 7.7, carapace 3.9‒4.0 long, 3.2‒3.25 wide (n=2). Females body length vary from 7.9 to 8.6, carapace 3.8‒4.2 long, 2.95‒3.3 wide (n=3).

Habitat. Mountain stony tundra with screes and rocks, situated at the elevations from 3400 to 3500 m. One specimen was collected from the dry stony riverbed located just below the stony tundra belt at the altitude of 2800‒2900 m ( Fig. 9b ).

Distribution. Known from the type locality only. Khasagtyn-Nuruu Mt. Range is isolated from alpine areas of the main range of Mongolian Altai and neighbouring Khangai Mountains by a 100 and 150 km wide desert belt, respectively ( Fig. 10 ).

Figures

FIGURE 2. Male palp of Acantholycosa vahterae sp. n. (a–e) and A. kronestedti sp. n. (f–j). a, f bulb, ventral; b, g bulb, anterior; c, h bulb, retrolateral; d, i tegulum, ventral; e, j tegulum, anterior. Scale = 0.2 mm. Abbreviations: Es basal spine of embolus, Pa palea, Sp spine-like process of terminal apophysis, Ss small spine in mid part of embolus, Tp triangle outgrowth of paleal apophysis.

FIGURE 3. Bulb of Acantholycosa vahterae sp. n. (a–c), A. kronestedti sp. n. (d–f) and Mongolicosa azarkinae sp. n. (g–i, embolic spine broken). a, d, g ventral; b, e, h retrolateral; c, f, i anterior. Scale = 0.1 mm (if indicated). Abbreviations: Em embolus, Es basal spine of embolus, Sp spine-like process of terminal apophysis, Ss small spine in mid part of embolus, Tp triangle outgrowth of paleal apophysis.

FIGURE 4. Embolic division of Acantholycosa vahterae sp. n. (a–c), A. kronestedti sp. n. (d–f) and Mongolicosa azarkinae sp. n. (g–h, embolic spine broken). a, d, g ventral; b, e, h anterior; c, f posterior. Scale = 0.1 mm.

FIGURE 5. Embolic division of Acantholycosa vahterae sp. n. (a–c) and A. kronestedti sp. n. (d–f). a, d anterior; b, e retrolateral; c, f ventral. Scale = 0.2 mm.

FIGURE 6. Epigyne of Acantholycosa vahterae sp. n. (a–c) and A. kronestedti sp. n. (d–f). a, d intact, ventral; b, e macerated, ventral; c, f macerated, dorsal. Scale = 0.2 mm. Abbreviations: Ap anterior pocket, Cd copulatory ducts, Re receptacle, Se septum, Sl septal lobes.

FIGURE 9. Habitats of Acantholycosa vahterae sp. n. (a), A. kronestedti sp. n. (b), Mongolicosa azarkinae sp. n. (c), M. ozkutuki sp. n. (d) and M. cherepanovi sp. n. (e–f).

FIGURE 10. Collecting localities of Acantholycosa vahterae sp. n. (5), A. kronestedti sp. n. (4), Mongolicosa azarkinae sp. n. (3), M. cherepanovi sp. n. (1) and M. ozkutuki sp. n. (2).