Karakumosa medica Logunov & Ponomarev 2020, comb. nov.

Karakumosa medica (Pocock, 1889) comb. nov.

Figs 76-88

Tarentula medica Pocock, 1889: 110, pl. 13, figs 1a-g (description of male and female; 1 adult male, 1 adult female and 1 immature syntypes in the BMNH).

Hogna media. – Roewer, 1955b: 249 (misspelling).

Lectotype (designated here): BMNH, BM 1887.51; male; AFGHANISTAN, Meshed / Tirp-hul [‘Kalla-idastdargarri’; c. 34°42’N, 61°03’E]; no date [apparently June 1884]; leg. [J.E. T.] Aitchison.

Paralectotypes: BMNH, BM 1887.51; 1 female, 1 immature; collected together with the lectotype.

Etymology: Although the author (Pocock, 1889) did not explain the origin of the name, the species epithet presumably is the Latin adjective ‘medicus, -a, -um’ (= medical), likely referring to the fear of this spider expressed by local people; see under ‘Comments’ below.

Diagnosis: This species is similar to K. badkhyzica sp. nov. (Figs 39-48), but differs in having a wider proximal extension of the MA (Fig. 83), a longer epigynal atrium (Fig. 85) and a different conformation of the spermathecae: worm-shaped in K. medica (Fig. 86) and markedly swollen anteriorly in K. badkhyzica sp. nov. (Fig. 43). See also comments above under ‘Diagnosis’ of K. gromovi sp. nov.

Description: Male (lectotype). Measurements: Carapace 13.00 long, 10.00 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.55, ALE 0.50, PME 1.30, PLE 1.25, AME-AME 0.30, AME-ALE 0.20, PME-PME 1.00, PME-PLE 2.45. Width of anterior eye row 2.50, of second row 3.40, of third row 4.20. Clypeus height 0.35; chelicera length 5.00. Abdomen 9.00 long, 6.40 wide. Length of leg segments: I 13.00 + 5.30 + 11.00 + 12.50 + 6.00 (47.80); II 12.60 + 5.30 + 10.50 + 12.50 + 5.50 (46.40); III 11.40 + 4.60 + 8.60 + 12.70 + 5.50 (42.80); IV 13.80 + 4.50 + 11.20 + 16.20 + 6.50 (52.20). Leg formula: IV, I, II, III.

Colouration in alcohol (Figs 81-82): Specimen damaged and shabby. Carapace dark russet, almost without white setae. Sternum orange-coloured, densely covered with white setae. Maxillae orange-coloured. Labium orange-coloured, with a yellow tip. Chelicerae dark brown, their frontal sides covered with white setae. Abdomen: dorsum densely covered with white setae, with a yellow cardiac mark outlined by a brown line; sides and venter densely covered with yellowish white setae. Book-lung covers orange-coloured, densely covered with yellowish white setae. Spinnerets brown. All legs orange-coloured brownish, densely covered with white setae. Palps orange-coloured, densely covered with white setae.

Palp structure (Figs 83-84, 87-88; mirrored image of right palp): Acutely pointed synembolic lamellae slightly convergent towards each other; medina tooth markedly bifurcated; proximal extension wide and relatively short; inner plate transverse-ovoid; conductor triangular, pointed at its tip.

Female (paralectotype). Measurements: Carapace 14.70 long, 11.00 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.70, ALE 0.55, PME 1.70, PLE 1.20, AME-AME 0.35, AME-ALE 0.25, PME-PME 1.10, PME-PLE 3.10. Width of anterior eye row 3.00, of second row 4.25, of third row 5.10. Clypeus height 0.65; chelicera length 6.50. Abdomen 13.00 long, 9.50 wide. Length of leg segments: I 12.30 + 5.00 + 9.50 + 9.00 + 4.70 (40.50); II 11.50 + 5.30 + 8.80 + 9.20 (no segment) (?); III 10.30 + 5.20 + 7.40 + 9.50 + 5.20 (37.70); IV 13.30 + 5.50 + 9.80 + 13.00 + 6.10 (47.70). Leg formula: IV, I, II, III.

Colouration in alcohol (Figs 77-80): Specimen damaged and shabby. Carapace dark russet, almost without white setae. Sternum orange-coloured, densely covered with white setae. Maxillae brownish orange-coloured. Labium brown-orange-coloured, with a yellow tip. Chelicerae dark brown, proximal part of frontal side and lateral sides covered with yellowish white setae. Abdomen damaged: dorsum densely covered with yellowish white setae, with no visible cardiac mark and colour pattern; sides and venter yellow, densely covered with yellowish white setae. Book-lung covers yellow, densely covered with yellowish white setae. Spinnerets brown. All legs orange-coloured, densely covered with yellowish white setae. Palps orange-coloured, densely covered with white setae.

Epigyne and vulva (Figs 85-86): Epigynal atrium three times as long as wide, with subparallel lateral edges; posterior transverse plate short, its posterior margin slightly bent (making the plate anchor-shaped); spermathecae tube-shaped, bent mediad and then directed anteriad.

Comments: In the original paper (Pocock, 1889: 111), the particulars of collecting the Tarentula medica types are described as follows: “…taken between Tirphul and Meshed in Persia ”. Later in the text, based on the collector’s observations (J.E.T.A.), Pocock (1889) added that “At Kalla-idast-dargarri, June 8th, amongst the brick debris of the old buildings, and running in and out of the clay fissures in the soil, this spider occurred in large numbers, much to the horror of the natives - the Afghans and Persians holding it in great fear, as, they say, should it drop any of its excreta on the skin, the result is acute erysipelas, usually ending in death”. Based on the map published by the Afghan Delimitation Commission (Aitchison, 1889), ‘Kalla-idast-dargarri’ seems to be a site lying some 14 km WNW of the present-day Kohsān, on the left bank of the Hari River in the Herat Province of Afghanistan (c. 34°42’N, 61°03’E). This site is here accepted as the type locality of Tarentula medica. We failed to find the geographic name ‘Kalla-idast-dargarri’ on contemporary maps.

Distribution: Only known from the type locality in north-western Afghanistan (Fig. 76). The record of this species by Schmidt (1895: 450; sub. Lycosa medica) from Uzbekistan, Qarshi (= Karschi; c. 38°51’N, 65°47’E) is doubtful and needs verification, because it more likely can be attributed to either K. alticeps or K. gromovi sp. nov. Unfortunately the whereabouts of Schmidt’s specimens is unknown and they may be lost.