Acantholycosa vahterae Fomichev & Marusik 2018, sp. n.

Acantholycosa vahterae sp. n.

Figs 1a‒d, 2a‒e, 3a‒c, 4a‒c, 5a‒c, 6a‒c, 9a, 10

Types. Holotype ♂ (ZMMU) MONGOLIA, Govi-Altai Aimag, Cakhir-Khaalgyn-Nuruu Mt. Range, 2‒5 km SSE from Dotiyn-Davaa Mt. Pass (45°25'N, 97°05'E ‒ 45°24'N, 97°07'E), mountain stony tundra with screes and rocks, 3300‒3660 m, 4.07.2017 (A.A. Fomichev) Paratypes: 2♂ 3♀ (ISEA), 1♂ 4♀ (ZMMU) together with the holotype.

Etymology. The specific name is a patronym in honor of our colleague, Varpu Vahtera (Zoological Museum, University of Turku, Finland), an expert in centipedes.

Diagnosis. Acantholycosa vahterae sp. n. is most similar to A. katunensis Marusik, Azarkina & Koponen, 2004 in having the almost identical shape of the paleal apophysis (Pa), the widened embolic tip, the tegular apophysis lacking an apical arm, the epigynal septum with parallel margins and not widened posteriorly. The new species readily differs from the related species in having a large triangle-shaped spine (Es) at the embolic base (Figs 2b, 4b), which is absent from A. katunensis. The female of the new species has the arch-shaped anterior pocket not subdivided into 2 parts and receptacles not reaching the anterior margin of fovea (Figs 6a‒c vs. the anterior pocket being clearly subdivided into 2 parts, receptacles long, reaching the anterior margin of fovea in A. katunensis; cf. figs. 82-83 in Marusik et al. 2004). A. vahterae sp. n. differs from A. kronestedti sp. n., another species occurring in Govi-Altai Aimag, in having the paleal apophysis with a triangular anterior outgrowth, no small spine (Ss) on the anterior embolic margin and the shorter posterior arm of tegular apophysis (cf. Figs 2a‒e and 2 f‒j). The females of the two species occurring in Govi-Altai Aimag can be distinguished by the shape and size of septal lobes (Sl), which are longer than wide in A. vahterae sp. n. and almost triangular in A. kronestedti sp. n. (cf. Figs 6a‒c and 6d‒f) and by direction of receptacles (Re), which directed inwardly in A. vahterae sp. n. and outwardly in A. kronestedti sp. n. (cf. Figs 6c and 6f).

Description. Male (holotype). General appearance as in Fig. 1 a-b. Total length 6.3. Carapace 3.2 long, 2.55 wide. Coloration: prosoma, chelicerae and palps black. Legs: Fe black, Pt‒Ta yellow-gray. Leg IV darker than others, almost black. Abdomen black. Spination of leg I: Fe d1-1-1 p0-0-2 r0-1-1; Ti p1-0-0 r1-0-0 v2-2 -2-2; Mt p1-1-0 r1-1-0 v2-2.

Palp as in Figs 1c‒d, 2a‒e, 3a‒c, 4a‒c, 5a‒c. Tibia 2 times longer than wide. Cymbium 1.5 times longer than tibia. Tegular apophysis without anterior arm. Embolus broad, with a large basal spine (Es) similar to a large triangular lamina, embolic tip slightly widened. Paleal apophysis large, with an anterior triangular outgrowth (Tp); terminal apophysis with a spine-like process (Sp).

Female. Total length 7.2. Carapace 3.7 long, 2.9 wide. Coloration: prosoma, palps and legs black. Chelicerae dark brown. Abdomen black. Spination of leg I: Fe d1-1-1 p0-0-2 r1-0-1; Ti p1-0-0 r1-0-0 v2-2 -2-2; Mt p0-1-0 r0- 1-0 v2-2.

Epigyne as in Fig. 6a‒c. Fovea large, diamond-shaped (Fig. 6a) or triangular (Fig. 6b), not entirely covered with septum. Septum long with parallel lateral margins, not widened in posterior part, with large lateral lobes (Sl), lobes wider than septum itself. Anterior pocket (Ap) single, arch-shaped. Receptacles (Re) as long as copulatory ducts (Cd), reaching the middle part of epigynal plate, converging.

TABLE 2. Leg measurements of the Acantholycosa vahterae sp. n. female: Size variation. Males vary from 6.2 to 6.9 in body length, carapace 3.2‒3.6 long, 2.55‒2.85 wide (n=3). Females vary from 6.6 to 7.4 in body length, carapace 3.3‒3.7 long, 2.65‒2.95 wide (n=3).

Habitat. Xeromorphic mountain stony tundra with screes and rocks, situated on the flat top of Cakhir- Khaalgyn-Nuruu Mt. Range, at the elevations of 3300‒3660 m (Fig. 9a).

Distribution. Known from the type locality only. Cakhir-Khaalgyn-Nuruu Mt. Range belongs to the main range of Mongolian Altai (Fig. 10).