Raveniola xiezhen Lin, Wang & Li, 2024

Lin, Yejie, Li, Shuqiang, Mo, Haolin & Wang, Xihao, 2024, Thirty-eight spider species (Arachnida: Araneae) from China, Indonesia, Japan and Vietnam, Zoological Systematics 49 (1), pp. 4-98 : 32-33

Raveniola xiezhen Lin, Wang & Li , sp. nov. ( Figs 22–23 , 24B–D , 25 )

Etymology. The species is named after Xie Zhen, a character in the classic Chinese novel Outlaws of the Marsh; noun in apposition.

Diagnosis. The male of the new species is similar to that of R. guangxi (Raven & Schwendinger, 1995) by having a similarly shaped psembolus, but they can be distinguished by the heart-shaped bulb (vs. conical). Female of R. xiezhen Lin, Wang & Li , sp. nov. can be distinguished from all other Raveniola species by the inner spermathecae almost as long as the outer.

Description. Male (holotype). Total length 8.57, carapace 5.77 long, 4.87 wide, opisthosoma 4.95 long, 2.80 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.20, ALE 0.33, PME 0.16, PLE 0.22, AME–AME 0.17, AME–ALE 0.12, PME–PME 0.45, PME–PLE 0.03, AME–PME 0.14, ALE–PLE 0.05. Chelicerae with 7 retromarginal teeth and 16 denticles. Leg measurements: I 17.83 (5.06, 6.47, 4.10, 2.20), II 16.67 (4.68, 5.96, 3.78, 2.2), III 14.42 (4.17, 4.74, 3.53, 1.98), IV 20.19 (5.38, 6.92, 5.32, 2.57).

Coloration ( Figs 24B , 25A ). Chelicerae black-brown. Carapace, endites, labium and sternum brown. Legs red-brown, with black setae. Opisthosoma oval, dark brown, without any pattern. Heart mark inconspicuous. Four spinnerets, pale yellow.

Palp ( Fig. 22 ). Femur longer than tibia. Patella almost as long as cymbium. Tibia almost as long as bulb. Tip of cymbium with 6 strong spines. Tegulum smooth, pyriform, with long, slender psembolus, ratio of tegulum length to psembolus 1:1. Terminus of psembolus curved.

Female (one paratype Ar44820). Total length 16.12, carapace 7.65 long, 6.09 wide, opisthosoma 8.50 long, 4.85 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.25, ALE 0.45, PME 0.25, PLE 0.31, AME–AME 0.46, AME–ALE 0.18, PME–PME 0.74, PME–PLE 0.11, AME–PME 0.19, ALE–PLE 0.17. Chelicerae with 8 retromarginal teeth and 21 denticles. Leg measurements: I 19.06 (6.28, 7.65, 3.24, 1.89), II 17.04 (5.44, 6.47, 3.16, 1.97), III 14.18 (4.03, 5.05, 3.15, 1.95), IV 21.58 (6.34, 8.15, 4.75, 2.34).

Coloration ( Fig. 24C ). Similar to that of male except darker.

Epigyne ( Figs 23 , 25B ). Two pairs of spermathecae, inner spermathecae almost as long as outer spermathecae. Outer spermathecae stalk curved, tip expanded. Inner spermathecae almost triangular, 0.8 times longer than wide, 4 times wider than outer spermathecae, weakly sclerotized. Pore glands denser apically and becoming less numerous toward the base. Apices blunt, unexpanded. Spermathecae separated about 1.5 times their basal width.

Material examined. Holotype ♂ (IZCAS-Ar44819), China: Yunnan, Honghe , Pingbian Miao Autonomous Co., Daweishan Nature Reserve (22.9102°N, 103.7004°E, elev. 1200 m), 04.X.2023, Can Zhang leg. Paratype. 1♀ (IZCASAr44820), same data as holotype .

Distribution. Known only from the type locality.

Figures

Figure 22. Raveniola xiezhen Lin, Wang & Li, sp. nov., holotype male. A. Left palp, ventral view; B. Same, retrolateral view; C. Psembolus, retrolateral view.Abbreviation: Pb—psembolus. Scale bars: A–B=0.5 mm; C=0.1mm.

Figure 23. Raveniola xiezhen Lin, Wang & Li, sp. nov., paratype female.A. Vulva, ventral view; B. Same, dorsal view.Abbreviations: IS—inner spermatheca; OS—outer spermatheca; Sta—stalk. Scale bars=0.1mm.

Figure 24. Raveniola spp., holotype female (A) and male (B, D) and paratype female (C), habitus. A. R. shixiu Lin, Wang & Li, sp. nov., dorsal view; B. R. xiezhen Lin, Wang & Li, sp. nov., dorsal view; C. Same, dorsal view; D. Same, leg I, lateral view. Scale bars: A–B=2.0 mm; C–D=3.0 mm.

Figure 25. Raveniola xiezhen Lin, Wang & Li, sp. nov., alive. A. Holotype male; B. Paratype female.