Xerolycosa mongolica (Schenkel, 1963) Schenkel, 1963

Marusik, Yuri M., Kovblyuk, Mykola M. & Koponen, Seppo, 2011, A survey of the East Palaearctic Lycosidae (Araneae). 9. Genus Xerolycosa Dahl, 1908 (Evippinae), ZooKeys 119, pp. 11-27 : 16-18

Xerolycosa mongolica (Schenkel, 1963) comb. n. Figs 1 –31018–2123a-b29–3035– 38.

Arctosa mongolica Schenkel, 1963: 353, f. 204a-c (♀).

Xerolycosa nemoralis : Yu & Song 1988: 118 (incorrect synonymy).

"Xerolycosa" mongolica : Logunov, Marusik & Koponen 1998: 139.

"Xerolycosa" mongolica : Marusik, Logunov & Koponen 2000: 87.

Xerolycosa undulata Chen, Song & Kim, 1998: 71, f. 7-12 (♂). syn. n.

Xerolycosa undulata : Song, Zhu & Chen 1999: 346, f. 202J (♂).

Material examined.

Holotype ♀ (MNHN) "Urga-Tsitsikar, Chaffanjon" [1896] (can refer either to Mongolia or China). RUSSIA, Tuva: 17♂ 2♀ (IBPN & ZMUT), SE Tuva, Erzin Town environs, 50°14'N, 95°09'E, 1165 m, dry steppe, 9.06.1995 (Y.M. Marusik & S. Koponen); 13♂ 1♀ (SZMN), SE Tuva, Erzin environs, 50°14'N, 95°09'E, 1165 m, Artemisia-Stipa steppe, 9.06.1995 (D.V. Logunov); 4♂ (ZMMU), SE Tuva, Tes-Khem Valley, 50°19'N, 95°01'E, 10.06.1995 (Y.M. Marusik); 3♂ (ZMMU), environs of Kyzyl, Nanophyton erinaceus semidesert steppe, 6.06.1995 (Y.M. Marusik).

Notes.

The holotype female of Xerolycosa mongolica is very pale and the pattern is not visible. The figure in Schenkel (1963), however, corresponds well with the pattern observed in Tuvan specimens. When Yu and Song (1988) synonymized Arctosa mongolica and Xerolycosa nemoralis they mentioned that the type of Arctosa mongolica had been studied. The general appearance of the epigynes in the two species is not similar. The epigynal septum and the windows are more similar to those in Xerolycosa miniata (cf. Figs 31, 33, 35 and 37).

Xerolycosa undulata was described on the basis of the holotype male from Heilongjiang, not far from Tsitsikar. According to the text (Chen et al. 1999), the type was deposited in the Institute of Zoology in Beijing. However, the type was not found in the collections (Li, personal communication). Comparison of our figures of the male palp of Xerolycosa mongolica and figures of Xerolycosa undulata provided by Chen et al. (1998) leaves no doubts that these two names should be synonymized. It is worth mentioning, that when Xerolycosa undulata was described the male of Xerolycosa mongolica was unknown.

Diagnosis.

Xerolycosa mongolica differs distinctly from its congeners by its spotty pattern and lack of longitudinal bands or stripes on the carapace, widely spaced anterior median eyes (more than one diameter of AME), long filiform embolus, shape of the tegular apophysis, and structure of the epigyne and vulva.

Description.

Male.

Total length 6.1 (5.6-6.25). Carapace: 3.05 (2.8-3.1) long, 2.1 (1.9-2.1) wide. Carapace length/femur IV ratio 1.07 (1.03-1.12). Habitus and pattern as in Figs 2-3.

Palp as in Figs 18-21, 23, 29-30, cymbium with distinct spines, apical part of tegular apophysis with triangular extension, embolus filiform along its entire course.

Female.

Total length 6.6 (5.7-6.6). Carapace: 2.35 (2.35-2.7) long, 1.7 (1.7-1.85) wide. Carapace length/femur IV ratio 1.18 (1.1-1.18). Habitus and pattern as in Fig. 2.

Epigyne as in Figs 35-38, septum almost triangular in shape, upper margins of windows inclined.

Comments.

It seems that Schenkel (1963) placed this species in Arctosa due to the carapace pattern being typical for the genus (no stripes or bands). Arctosa mongolica was synonymized with Xerolycosa nemoralis by Yu & Song (1988) without examination of the female holotype. Study of the holotype and comparison with European and Siberian specimens of Xerolycosa nemoralis revealed clear differences in pattern, spination and copulatory organs and therefore we remove Xerolycosa mongolica from synonymy and establish a new combination.

Biology.

Xerolycosa mongolica females make burrows in the ground in places with sparse steppic vegetation. The burrows are relatively deep 7-10.5 cm and 4-6 mm in diameter (Logunov, personal communication). Apparently males do not construct burrows. These observations were first made by Dmitri Logunov in Tuva. Subsequently we (Koponen and Marusik) witnessed this behaviour. It is worth mentioning that Xerolycosa mongolica seems to be the smallest burrowing wolf spider (Logunov, personal communication).

Distribution.

The exact distribution of this species is unknown because the type locality is uncertain (Urga-Tsitsikar), and because of incorrect synonymisation its distribution in China is unclear. Xerolycosa mongolica is well documented from Tuva only.