Spariolenus baluchistanicus, Moradmand & Wesal & Kulkarni, 2023

Moradmand, Majid, Wesal, Mohammad Wasil & Kulkarni, Siddharth, 2023, Taxonomic revision of the troglophile Spariolenus spiders (Araneae: Sparassidae) in South and West Asia, Zootaxa 5380 (1), pp. 77-95 : 84-87

Spariolenus baluchistanicus sp. n.

Figs 6A–E , 9C

Spariolenus tigris Simon. Gravely 1931: 256 (in part, one female from Quetta, used as holotype here, see below).

Type material: Holotype: female, Pakistan: Baluchistan: Quetta , 30.19 N, 67.01 E, 1685 m ( NHM); [label: 1♀, 2 imm., Quetta, A.F. Pocock, Spariolenus? tigris Simon, F.H. Gravely det. 1930 ( NHM 1900.8.12.6-8)].

Etymology. The species name refers to the type locality, Baluchistan region, adjective.

Diagnosis. This new species is similar to S. arrata Moradmand & Jäger, 2011 , S. omidvarbrothers sp. n. and S. mansourii in its small-sized CO ( Fig. 6A ) which its diameter is less than 1/3 of EP area (vs. CO much larger in others; e.g., S. tigris and S. bakasura sp. n.). Spariolenus baluchistanicus sp. n. can be distinguished from S. arrata by presence of AB (vs. absence in S. omidvarbrothers sp. n., and S. arrata ) and from S. mansourii by vulva lacking glandular pores (vs. presence on SC and SC in S. mansourii ) ( Figs 6B, C ).

Female (holotype): Measurements. TL 23.1, PL 9.1, PW 8.5, AW 4.4, OL 14.0, OW 11.0. Eyes. AME 0.37, ALE 0.82, PME 0.54, PLE 0.93, AME-AME 0.26, AME-ALE 0.03, PME-PME 0.35, PME-PLE 0.81, AME-PME 0.71, ALE-PLE 0.86, clypeus-AME 0.65, clypeus-ALE 0.48. Chelicerae with 3 promarginal and 5 retromarginal teeth, cheliceral furrow with 20 intermarginal denticles. Measurements of palp and legs. Palp 13.5 [4.0, 2.1, 2.9, 4.5], I 43.4 [12.0, 5.2, 12.2, 10.8, 3.2], II [13.6, 5.3, 12.7, miss., miss.], III 40.7 [11.8, 4.5, 10.9, 10.5, 3.1], IV [12.0, 4.3, 11.2, miss., miss.]. Spination. Palp 131, 101, 2111; Legs: Femur I–III 323, IV 321; Patella I–IV 101; Tibia I–II 231(10), III 1218 -3218, IV 2226; Metatarsus I–II 1014, III 2024, IV 3036.

Female copulatory organ. As in diagnosis with EF as wide as long, EP expanded, AB present and extended longitudinally, MS narrow ( Fig. 6A ); vulva with FC extended longitudinally, SC and TC extended beyond FC laterally ( Figs 6B, C ).

Colouration (preserved specimens in ethanol). Reddish brown with darker bands on legs and body ( Fig. 9C ).

Male: Unknown.

Distribution. Known only from its type locality in Baluchistan region, Pakistan ( Fig. 13 ).

Remarks. On the original label, in 1930, Gravely noted this species as Spariolenus tigris using a question mark which means that he was uncertain about its generic and actual species identity. However, in the following publication, Gravely (1930) listed it under S. tigris and recorded this species from Pakistan. It is obvious now that the majority of reported species as S. tigris are misidentifications and the distribution range of Spariolenus tigris is most likely restricted to eastern India.

Figures

FIGURES 6A–E. Spariolenus baluchistanicus sp. n., female holotype, Pakistan (NHM). A epigyne, ventral; B vulva, dorsal; C right vulva, lateral; D eyes, dorsal; E left chelicerae, ventral.

FIGURES 9A–G. Spariolenus spp. A–D, G frontal view of prosoma; E chelicerae and labium, ventral; F cheliceral dentition, ventral. A Spariolenus omidvarbrothers sp. n., male holotype; B Spariolenus lindbergi (Roewer, 1962) comb. nov., male; C Spariolenus baluchistanicus sp. n., female holotype; D–F Spariolenus bakasura sp. n., female paratype; G Spariolenus kabandha sp. n.

FIGURE 13. The distribution records map of all known Spariolenus species (studied here and revised to date) in South and West Asia. Localities for all new species described in this study are marked with a star.