Berlandina caspica Ponomarev, 1979

Figs 49–56

B. c. Ponomarev 1979a: 921, f. 1–3 (♂♀).

B. apscheronica: Tuneva 2005: 327, f. 26–27 (♀), misidentified. B. apscheronica: Ponomarev et al. 2011: 128, f. 3a–b (♂).

Material: RUSSIA: Daghestan: 1♂ (КП: 18.11.9/4), Tyuleniy Island, 22– 26.06.2011 (S.V.Aliyeva); 9♂ 2♀ (КП: 18.11.9/5), Chechen’ Island, 43°57′52”N 47°38′38″E, 6.06.2011 (S.V.Aliyeva). 1♀ (ISEA), Astrakhan’ area, Aksaraiskyi Village, 46°47′36”N 48°00′21″E, 28.05.1996 (V.V.Dubatolov). KAZAKHSTAN: Guryev (=Atyrau) Area: 1♀ (ZMMU), 32 km S of Inderborski Village (48°33′N 51°47′E), left bank of Ural River, 9.06.1987 (A.V.Ponomarev); 1♂ (ZMMU), 1.5 km E of Mokhambet Village, Ural River left bank, Ural River floodplain valley, 13.06.1986 (A.V.Ponomarev). MONGOLIA, Bayankhongor Aimag: 1♂ (ZMMU), [08], Bayanlig Somon, Bor-Tolgoi, 44º06’N, 100º56’E, 1400 m, 2–4.06.1997 (YM).

Diagnsosis. Males of this species can be easily distinguished because of a bill-like outgrowth of the embolic division. The fovea of female B. caspica is, uniquely, wider than high.

Note. This species is similar to B. apscheronica Dunin, 1985, described on the basis of the holotype female from Azerbaijan and it is very likely that these two names are synonyms.

Description. Male. Total length 4.75–5.4. Carapace: 1.95–2.25 long, 1.6–1.85 wide. Coloration: carapace yellow-brown with gray lateral stripes on cephalic part. Legs yellow. Abdomen cream coloured with dorsal gray pattern (Fig. 53). Spination of leg IV: femur d1-1-0, p0-0-1, r0-0-1; patella: p0(1)-0, r1-0; tibia d1-0-0, p1-1-1, r1- 1-1; v2-2 -2; metatarsus d1-2-0, p1-1-0, r1-1-0, v2-2 -0.

Leg article length.

Palp as in Figs 49–51, 56; tibial apophysis massive, bent dorsally, with small tooth (Tt); median apophysis relatively short; seminal duct straight, embolus complex with strongly developed ridge terminating by strong claw like outgrowth (Bo); ridge of embolic division (Re) wider than embolus proper; embolic opening (Eo, Fig. 56 c) large and round, directed dorsally.

Female. Total length 5.45. Carapace 2.1 long, 1.6 wide. Coloration as in males. Spination of leg IV: femur d1- 1-0, p0-0-1, r0-0-1; patella r1-0; tibia d1-0-0, p 1-1-1, r1-1-1, v 2-2 -0; metatarsus d 1-2-0, p1-1-1, r1-1-1, v2-2 -0. Leg article length.

Epigyne as in Figs 54–55; fovea about twice wider than long; anterior edge (Ae) of fovea (or pocket) wide semicircular, terminating in two small pockets (Po); copulatory openings (Co) located close to pockets; receptacles almost square shaped, separated by less than one diameter, diameter of receptacle – about ¼ of fovea; insemination duct long, first going anteriorly and then posteriorly, course of duct triangle shaped (Figs 54 c, 55b).

Note. When we first found one male of this species in Mongolia we thought that it was new to science and close to B. caspica . Subsequent side by side comparison with specimens from Daghestan, Astrakhan and western Kazakhstan revealed no differences.

Distribution. This species is known from the west shore of Caspian Sea to Central Mongolia. It was found in Mongolia and in Astrakhan Area of Russia for the first time.