Anemesia oxiana sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 024DFB3E-198A-441A-B075-192CE5DA5E15 Figs 6, 19, 28–29, 53, 67, 81, 95, 108, 122–123, 151–153, 178, 199–202, 241–244, 275–276, 292–294, 312–313, 318–321, 331, 357, 370

Diagnosis

Males and females of Anemesia oxiana sp. nov. differ from all known congeners by their contrasting dorsal abdominal pattern with the unusually large and wide anterior transverse stripe (Figs 6 and 19). Males of A. oxiana sp. nov. can be also distinguished from other Anemesia males by a short and broad palpal bulb provided with a long, thin and slightly curved embolus (Figs 199–202); the conspecific females possess the characteristic long and stout entire spermathecae (Figs 241–244).

Etymology

Oxiana (ancient Greek ‘ ΏξΙΑνή ’) is the name of an historical area in Central Asia that existed in the antiquity and is applied to the territory located alongside the Oxus (i.e., the recent Amu-Darya River and its main component Panj River, forming the Afghanistan–Tajikistan border) which corresponds to the known range of this species. This specific epithet is a noun in apposition to the genus name, the gender is feminine.

Material examined

Holotype

TAJIKISTAN: Ƌ, foothills of Aruktau Mts, surroundings of Ganjina, 750–1000 m (37°58′ N, 68°32′ E), 13–19 Apr. 1986, S. Zonstein leg. (SMNH).

Paratypes (32 ƋƋ, 25 ♀♀)

TAJIKISTAN: 1 Ƌ, 5 ♀♀, same collection data as for the holotype (SMNH); 1 Ƌ, 5 ♀♀, same collection data as for preceding but 13 Apr. 1988 (SMNH); 2 ƋƋ, 2 ♀♀, same collection data as for preceding but 20 Apr 1989 (SMNH); 1 Ƌ, same collection data as for preceding but 18 Apr. 1992 (SMNH); 7 ♀♀, Aruktau Mts, foothills, Garavuti, 450 m, Mar. 1967, A. Kononenko leg. (SMNH); 1 Ƌ, Rangentau Mts, 2 km NNW Fahrabad Pass, 1220 m, 38°20.5′ N, 68°43′ E, 27 Apr. 2002, S. Zonstein leg. (SMNH); 4 ƋƋ, 3 ♀♀, Vahsh Karatau Mts, SW slope, 2–3 km W of Mt Hojamaston, 700–1700 m, 38°00′– 38°02′ N, 68°56′– 68°59′ S, 21 Apr. 1989, S. Zonstein leg. (SMNH); 8 ƋƋ, Sanglok Mts, above Sharshar Pass, 2000–2200 m, 38°15′ N, 69°13′ E, 2–5 May 1990, S. Zonstein leg. (SMNH); 5 ƋƋ, same locality, 7 May 1991, S. Zonstein and S. Ovchinnikov leg. (SMNH); 7 ƋƋ, 1 ♀, Panj Karatau Mts, Mt Astana, 1500–1650 m, 38°15′ N, 69°13′ E, 23 Apr. 1991, S. Zonstein and S. Ovchinnikov leg. (SMNH); 2 ƋƋ, 2 ♀♀, Hazratisho Mts, Sangdara, 1600 m, 38°22′ N, 70°09′ E, 17 May 2002, S. Zonstein leg. (SMNH).

Additional material (9 ♀♀, 4 juvs)

TAJIKISTAN: 4 ♀♀, surroundings of Dahana-Kiik, 900–1000 m (38°12′ N, 68°39′ E), 10–20 Mar. 1967, E. Blagovechshenskaya leg. (MIZW); 1 ♀, same collection data as for preceding but 800 m (MIZW); 4 juvs, Beshkent Valley, 20–23 Apr. 1967, E. Andreeva leg. (MIZW); 2 ♀♀, Lower Vahsh Valley, Tigrovaya Balka (Tiger Gorge) Reserve, sands, 350–400 m, 25 Jul. 1968, E. Andreeva leg. (MIZW); 1 ♀, Aruktau Mts, Ganjina, 24 Jun. 1969, E. Andreeva leg. (MIZW); 1 ♀, same locality, in burrow (depth 32 cm), 2 Nov. 1969, E. Andreeva leg. (MIZW).

Description

Male (holotype)

HABITUS. See Fig. 6.

MEASUREMENTS. TBL 18.70, CL 7.97, CW 6.82, LL 0.70, LW 1.27, SL 3.70, SW 3.32.

COLOUR. Carapace intensely foxy brown with darker rufous brown caput; eye tubercle brownish black; chelicerae, all femora, palpal patella, cymbium, patellae and tibiae I and II dark foxy brown; palpal tibia, patellae and tibiae III and IV, metatarsi and tarsi I–IV, sternum, labium and maxillae light yellowish brown; sternal sigillae dark brown; abdomen dorsally light brownish grey with darker brown pattern consisting of median longitudinal spot intersected with wide transverse fascia in basal third and five pairs short chevron-like lateral spots inclined backward; dorsal abdominal surface and spinnerets pale yellowish brown.

PROSOMA. Clypeus and eye tubercle as shown in Fig. 53. Eye diameters and interdistances: AME 0.21(0.30), ALE 0.42, PLE 0.23, PME 0.15, AME–AME 0.22(0.14), ALE–AME 0.15(0.11), ALE–PLE 0.17, PLE–PME 0.07, PME–PME 0.62. Cheliceral rastellum composed of 20–25 spikes located in front of fang base. Each cheliceral furrow with 9–10 promarginal teeth and 3–9 small and acute teeth confined to basal retromargin. Sternum, labium and maxillae as shown in Fig. 95. Sternal sigilla distant from sternum edge; posterior pair long oval or comma-shaped. Maxillae with 49–50 cuspules (forming wide and laterally extended cuspular area) each.

LEGS. Tibia and metatarsus I as shown in Fig. 122. Scopula: distal ¼ on metatarsi I and II, distal 1/5 on metatarsus III, entire on tarsi I and II, widely divided on tarsus III, vestigial on tarsus IV. Trichobothria: two rows of 9–11 each on tibiae, 13–15 on metatarsi, 14–17 on tarsi, 10–11 on cymbium. PTC I–III with 7–8 teeth on each margin. PTC IV with 5–6 teeth on outer, and 6–7 teeth on inner margins.

SPINATION. Palp: femur d4–5, pd1, rd1; patella pd2; tibia d1, pd1, p3, r1, v6; tarsus d11–13. Leg I: femur d5–6, pd3, rd1; patella pd1; tibia p4, r3, v8+m; metatarsus p3, r1, v5. Leg II: femur d5–6, pd3, rd3; patella pd1; tibia p3, r2–3, v10; metatarsus p3, v7. Leg III: femur d5–6, pd3, rd3; patella p3, r1; tibia d2, p3, r3, v8–9; metatarsus d2, p3, rd3, v9; tarsus p1. Leg IV: femur d6–9, p3–4, r3; patella p2, r1; tibia d1, p3, r2–3, v10; metatarsus rd1–4, p4, r3, v11–13; tarsus p1, r1. Tarsi I and II lack spines.

PALP. Tibia, cymbium and palpal organ as shown in Figs 178 and 199–200. Palpal tibia moderately long, slightly swollen and spinose; cymbium with few apical spines (Fig. 178). Palpal organ with broad asymmetric bulb and with long, tapering and slightly curved embolus (Figs 199–200).

SPINNERETS. See Fig. 275. PMS: length 0.85, diameter 0.34. PLS: maximal diameter 0.40; length of basal, medial and apical segments 1.32, 0.88, 0.57; total length 2.77; apical segment triangular.

LEG MEASUREMENTS. Ƌ(♀)

Female (paratype from Mt Hojamaston)

HABITUS. As in Fig. 19.

MEASUREMENTS. TBL 26.60, CL 9.68, CW 8.10, LL 1.20, LW 1.95, SL 5.28, SW 4.22.

COLOUR. Differs from that of male in some details: carapace and legs light foxy brown; sternum, labium and maxillae slightly paler; caput darkened, but anterior part with pair of symmetric lighter, yellowish spots located laterally from eye tubercle; blackish brown spots surrounding AMEs and lateral eyes semifused; chelicerae dark carmine red; abdomen light greyish yellow, with dark brown pattern consisting of rather narrow transverse longitudinal spot crossed by wide transverse fascia and six pairs of lateral chevrons posteriorly; spinnerets light greyish yellow.

PROSOMA. Clypeus and eye tubercle as shown in Fig. 67. Eye diameters and interdistances: AME, 0.22(0.31), ALE, 0.36, PLE, 0.20, PME: 0.16, AME-AME 0.32(0.24), ALE–AME 0.27(0.23), ALE– PLE 0.29, PLE–PME 0.11, PME–PME 0.93. Cheliceral rastellum composed of numerous spikes located on frontal cheliceral surface, not on mound. Each cheliceral furrow with 9 promarginal teeth and 4–5 medium-sized mesobasal denticles. Sternum, labium and maxillae as shown in Fig. 108. Sternal sigilla distant from sternum edge; posterior pair long oval or comma-shaped. Maxillae with 69–78 cuspules (forming, as in conspecific male, wide oval cuspular area) each.

LEGS. Scopula: distal on metatarsi I–II, entire on palpal tarsus and tarsi I and II, elsewhere absent. Trichobothria: 2 rows of 11–14 each on tibiae, 16–19 on metatarsi, 18 on palpal tarsus, 24–27 on tarsi I and II, 18–22 on tarsi III and IV. Palpal claw with 4 promarginal teeth (as shown in Fig. 152). PTC I–II with 4–6 teeth on each margin (as in Figs 152–153). PTC III with 4–5 teeth on outer, 2–3 teeth on inner margins. PTC IV with 4–5 and 0–2 teeth, respectively.

SPINATION. Palp: pd1; patella p2; tibia p2, v12–13; tarsus v3–4. Leg I: femur pd3; patella p2; tibia p2; v5; metatarsus v3–6. Leg II: femur pd3; patella p2; tibia p2, v4–5; metatarsus p1, v5–7. Leg III: femur pd3, rd3; patella p1–2; tibia d1, p2, r2, v6; metatarsus d1, p3, r3, v7; tarsus p2. Leg IV: femur pd2–3; tibia r2, v7; metatarsus p3, rd2, v7. All femora with one basodorsal spine and few dorsal bristles; patella IV and tarsi I, II and IV aspinose.

SPERMATHECAE. Entire, with long and subapically narrowed stalks (Fig. 242). SPINNERETS. See Fig. 276. PMS: length 1.05, diameter 0.53. PLS: maximal diameter 1.03; length of basal, medial and apical segments 1.75, 1.20, 0.62; total length 3.57; apical segment triangle. Spigots as shown in Figs 292–294.

Variation

The length of the carapace varies from 7.10 to 8.13 in males and from 7.78 to 10.04 in females. Colouration, shape of the embolus and configuration of the spermathecae vary through specimens very narrowly (see Figs 28–29, 199–202, 241–244). In some females, the cheliceral furrow may be armed with 2–3 retromarginal teeth (see Fig. 81). The number of maxillary cuspules may range from 40 to 55 in males and from 60 to 85 in females. Tarsus III with 1–2 spines (most often occupying prolateral position); tarsus IV mostly aspinose (in some specimens with one prolateral spine).

Habitats

The most widespread and common congener in southern Tajikistan, A. oxiana sp. nov. occurs in almost all the main community types represented there (including the true desert communities in lowlands): from riverside sand deserts (Tigrovaya Balka) and piedmont semi-deserts (Garavuti) through steppe and open low forest (Ganjina, Fahrabad Pass, Vahsh Karatau Mts, Panj Karatau Mts) to forested stations in the midland mountain belt (Sanglok Mts, Hazratisho Mts).

Distribution

South Tajikistan (Fig. 370).