Palpimanus sogdianus Charitonov, 1946

Figs 1–2, 11–12, 23–25, 35–37, 41–48, 53, 56, 64–66

Palpimanus sogdianus Charitonov, 1946: 22, figs 12–13 (♁ ♀); Charitonov 1969: 72 (♁ ♀, detailed textual redescription); Andreeva & Tystshenko 1969: 382, fig. 6 (♁, from Tajikistan, misidentified and most likely refers to P. logunovi sp. n. or an undescribed species); Andreeva 1976: 30, figs 31–32 (♁, from Tajikistan, misidentified and most likely refer to P. logunovi sp. n. or an undescribed species); Marusik & Guseinov 2003: 40, figs 12–14, 29–35 (♁ ♀, from Azerbaijan, misidentified and may refer to an underscribed species); Kunt et al. 2008: 58, fig. 3 (♀), from Turkey, misidentified).

Type material. Lectotype ♁ (PSU, designated here), UZBEKISTAN: Qashqadaryo Region, Hissar Mt. Ridge near Ishkent Vil., 38°50ʹN, 66°58ʹE, 1200–1300 m a.s.l., 16 April 1942, leg. D.M. Fedotov. The lectotype remnant is a separated palp, together with bulb; all other parts of the lectotype, as well as all other male and female specimens of the type series, noted by Charitonov (1946), were not found during the focused search and can be considered lost (S.L. Esyunin, personal comm.).

Other material examined. 1♁, 1♀ (ISEA), UZBEKISTAN: Qashqadaryo Region, Kyzyldarya River Valley, near Suvlisai Vil., 38°49.617ʹN, 67°06.357ʹE, stony montane shrubland with rocks, 1200 m a.s.l., 8–9 May 2022, leg. A.A. Fomichev & Y.V. Dyachkov.

Diagnosis. Palpimanus sogdianus is most similar to P. rakhimovi sp. n. in having the embolus (Em) not fused to the tegulum (Te), an elongated stylus (St) with a constriction near its base, and ovoid receptacles (Re) not divided into membranous and sclerotized parts (cf. Figs 49 and 50 and Figs 56 and 57). Males of P. sogdianus can be distinguished from those of P. rakhimovi sp. n. by palpal tibia as large as bulb (vs. twice as large in P. rakhimovi sp. n.), by the apex of ventral embolic lamina (Vl) that forms a 45° angle (vs. 90° in P. rakhimovi sp. n.) and by the presence of embolic trench (Et) (vs. absent in P. rakhimovi sp. n.) (cf. Figs 23–25, 35–37, 47–48 and 26–28, 38–40, 49–50). The conspecific females can be distinguished from those of P. rakhimovi sp. n. by the very short, almost invisible stalks of grape-shaped glands (Gg) (vs. long and well-visible in P. rakhimovi sp. n.) (cf. Figs 56 and 57).

Redescription. Male (from Suvlisai). Habitus (Figs 1–2, 11). Measurements: TL 5.87, CL 2.68, CW 2.17, CyH 0.28 (0.22 margins), palpal tibia L/ W 1.19, femur I L/ W 2.24. Eyes: AME 0.16, ALE 0.07, PLE 0.06, PME 0.06, AME – AME 0.06, AME – ALE 0.10, ALE – PLE 0.50, PLE – PME 0.36, PME – PME 0.30. Colour in alcohol: carapace, chelicerae and femur I intensely dull red; other segments of leg I, sternum, labium, endites, petiolar tube and abdominal scuta dark red; palps and legs II–IV yellowish red to orange (lighter distally); abdomen medium to dark yellowish grey with numerous and dense dark brown punctures; spinnerets yellowish grey .

Palp (Figs 23–25, 35–37, 47–48). Femur 3.5 times longer than wide and 1.5 times longer than cymbium. Patella globous, as long as wide. Swollen tibia ca. 1.2 times as long as wide. Cymbium ca. 1.3 times longer than tibia. Tegulum (Te) 1.2 times longer than wide. Embolus (Em) 3.5 times longer than wide, its tip with two teeth: tooth 1 (T1) and tooth 2 (T2). Stylus (St) paddle-shaped.

Palp and leg measurements in male and female (in parentheses):

Female (from Suvlisai). Measurements: TL 7.05, CL 3.15, CW 2.56, CyH 0.28 (0.24 margins); leg I L/ W 2.23. Eyes: AME 0.19, ALE 0.10, PLE 0.08, PME 0.07, AME–AME 0.08, AME–ALE 0.10, ALE–PLE 0.64, PLE–PME 0.47, PME–PME 0.31. Colour in alcohol: as in male but chelicerae and femur I lighter; unsclerotized parts of abdomen and spinnerets medium greyish orange; brownish punctures poorly discernible.

Endogyne (Fig. 56). Receptacles (Re) ovoid, touching in the middle part. Receptacle stems (Rs) long, only three times shorter than receptacles. Grape-shaped glands (Gg) with very short stalks.

Habitat. The species inhabits rocky shrublands, where it can be found under the stones (Fig. 66).

Distribution. Known only from the western spurs of Hissar Mountains (eastern Uzbekistan) (Figs 64–65). Records of this species from western Tajikistan by Andreeva & Tystshenko (1969) and Andreeva (1976) are based on misidentifications and refer either to P. logunovi sp. n. or to an undescribed species. The specimens from several localities in the two above mentioned works are juveniles.