A survey of East Palaearctic Lycosidae (Araneae). 7. A new species of Acantholycosa Dahl, 1908 from the Russian Far East

Abstract

Acantholycosa azarkinae sp. n. is described from the Maritime Province of Russia on the basis of both sexes. Acantholycosa norvegica (Thorell, 1872) is reported from the Maritime Province for the first time. A key and illustrations to all six species that occur in Far East Asia are provided.

On the synonymy of two Acantholycosa species (Araneae, Lycosidae) from the Altai

“…The two species can be separated by the shape of the embolus, which tapers toward the tip in Acantholycosa katunensis (Figs 3–5) and widens in Acantholycosa dudkorum (cf. Marusik et al 2004: figs 73, 75); the shape of the palea: in Acantholycosa dudkorum (cf. Marusik et al 2004: figs 73, 75), the paleal process is thin with a hollow on the prolateral side, and it is unmodified in Acantholycosa katunensis (Figs 4–5, 9).…”

“…Acantholycosa Dahl, 1908 is one of the best studied among species-rich Pardosinae genera in the Holarctic due to a revision (Marusik et al 2004), a regional review (Marusik and Omelko 2011) and several species surveys (Kronestedt and Marusik 2002; Fomichev and Marusik 2011; Marusik and Logunov 2011). Nevertheless, its taxonomy has remained improperly studied.…”

“…With one exception ( Acantholycosa lignaria (Clerck, 1757)), all species inhabit stony screes in mountains, and this habitat is difficult to reach and study. So far, 29 species are known in the genus (World Spider Catalog 2015), most of which (20) occur in the Altai-Sayan Mountain region (Marusik et al 2004). …”

“…The former species, assigned to the azyuzini -group, was known from the holotype male from Rakhmanovskiye Klyuchi Village, and the latter species, assigned to the dudkorum -species group, was known from three females from two localities, the Kurchum River and Rakhmanovskiye Klyuchi. Marusik et al (2004) suggested that these two species found in a single locality (Rakhmanovskiye Klyuchi) could be conspecific. The occurrence of these two species Acantholycosa katunensis and Acantholycosa kurchumensis in another locality led us to the conclusion that they are conspecific, and the tentative placement of these species into different species groups by Marusik et al (2004) was incorrect.…”

“…Marusik et al (2004) suggested that these two species found in a single locality (Rakhmanovskiye Klyuchi) could be conspecific. The occurrence of these two species Acantholycosa katunensis and Acantholycosa kurchumensis in another locality led us to the conclusion that they are conspecific, and the tentative placement of these species into different species groups by Marusik et al (2004) was incorrect. Additional arguments in support of the conspecificity of two species are the same spination of tibia I (5-6 proventral and 4-5 retroventral spines) and also that these species in South-Western Altai are the only known species by opposite sexes.…”