Raveniola niedermeyeri group

Diagnostic characters

The subapical part of the male palpal tibia dilated retrolaterally and provided with a bare flattened area carrying a ventral sensilla (Figs 189–197). Embolus relatively long, curved or gently twisted, with a rudimentary subapical keel (Figs 191–194), or vestiges of the embolic keel are lost (Figs 189–190, 195–197). Spermathecae relatively narrow, F-shaped (Figs 208–212).

Species included

Raveniola marusiki sp. nov., R. mazandaranica Marusik, Zamani & Mirshamsi, 2014, R. niedermeyeri (Brignoli, 1972), R. vonwicki Zonstein, 2000 and R. zaitzevi (Charitonov, 1948).

Key to species of niedermeyeri group

Males

1. Subapical part of embolus corkscrew-shaped (Figs 189–196) ……………………………………2

– Subapical part of embolus gradually curved (Fig. 197) ………… R. niedermeyeri (Brignoli, 1972)

2. Embolus with toothed keel vestige (Figs 191–194) ………………………………………………3

– Embolus smooth, without keel vestige (Figs 189–190, 195–196) ………………………………4

3. Keel vestige high and pectinate, with two large and a few smaller teeth (Figs 191–192) … ………………………………………………………………………………… R. marusiki sp. nov.

– Keel vestige low and densely dentate, with several tiny, uniform and equal-sized teeth (Figs 193– 194) ………………………………………………………………… R. zaitzevi (Charitonov, 1948)

4. Embolus gently spiraled; proximal part of embolus (preceding basal bend) equal in length to following apical part (Figs 189–190) … R. mazandaranica Marusik, Zamani & Mirshamsi, 2014

– Embolus sharply spiraled; proximal part of embolus (preceding basal bend) considerably longer than following spiraled apical part (Figs 195–196) ………………… R. vonwicki Zonstein, 2000

Females

Females of Raveniola marusiki sp. nov. and R. mazandaranica are unknown.

1. Median and lateral receptacles subequal in size or median ones slightly larger than laterals (Figs 210–212) ………………………………………………………………………………………2

– Median receptacles considerably smaller than laterals (Figs 208–209) …………………………… ……………………………………………………………………… R. zaitzevi (Charitonov, 1948)

2. Median and lateral receptacles subequal in size; lateral ones with distinct stalk (Fig. 210) ……… ………………………………………………………………………… R. vonwicki Zonstein, 2000

– Median receptacles slightly larger than laterals; lateral heads sessile (Figs 211–212) ………… …………………………………………………………………… R. niedermeyeri (Brignoli, 1972)