AnimaliaAraneaeNesticidaeRiberaCarlesElvericiMertKuntKadir BoğaçÖzkütükRecep SulhiTyphlonesticus gocmeni sp. n., a new cave-dwelling blind spider species from the Aegean region of Turkey (Araneae, Nesticidae)Zookeys236201420144198710210.3897/zookeys.419.5739 Typhlonesticus gocmeni http://zoobank.org/E3A3721A-0E71-479B-9EA9-A31A47D6E8C6 sp. n.Figs 2–21Material examined.

Holotype ♂ (AUZM) Denizli Province, Acıpayam District, Dodurgalar Town, Keloğlan Cave (37°23'14.74"N, 29°34'18.29"E), 10.07.2011, leg. M. Elverici. Paratypes 1 ♂ 1 ♀ 9 juveniles (AUZM), 1 ♂ 1 ♀ (CRBA) same data as holotype.

Derivatio nominis.

The specific name is given in honour of the prominent Turkish biologist, Prof. Dr. Bayram Göçmen (University of Ege, İzmir, Turkey). Noun in apposition.

Diagnosis.

Males of the new species differ from Typhlonesticus absoloni by the shape and length of the tegulum, the shape of p1 and p2 processes, the arrangement of the embolus and the shape and arrangement of the paracymbial apophyses, mainly the ventral one, which is erected as a thin spine in Typhlonesticus gocmeni sp. n., whereas in Typhlonesticus absoloni it consists of a curved lamella. Females differ from Typhlonesticus absoloni by the shape of the epigyne and the position of the spermathecae. The dimension and orientation of the insemination and fertilization ducts are also diagnostic. In Typhlonesticus gocmeni sp. n. the epigyne is scarcely sclerotized and the spermathecae and insemination ducts are visible through the tegument, moreover the spermathecae are nearly spherical and separated by a distance approximately equal to their diameter. In Typhlonesticus absoloni the epigyne is strongly sclerotized and the spermathecae are separated by almost twice their diameter. In Typhlonesticus absoloni the insemination and fertilization ducts are thicker and almost fill the entire genital area.

Male.

Coloration. Carapace whitish, slightly yellowish. Appendages and sternum slightly testaceous. Opisthosoma brownish, with many dark patches (Fig. 20). The specimens preserved in alcohol have a whitish opisthosoma, slightly greyer than the prosoma.

Prosoma. Carapace approximately circular in dorsal view. Cephalic region not differentiated from the rest of the carapace. Eyeless (Figs 18, 19).

Opisthosoma. Sub-elliptical in dorsal view.

Appendages. prolateral margin of the chelicerae with 3 teeth, the central slightly longer. Male palp (Figs 213). Paracymbium short, dorsal and ventral processes scarcely developed. The ventral process consists of a short and flattened lamella, curved towards the apex and prolonged into a thin spine. The ventral one consisting of a short laminar apophysis, apically curved toward to the ventral side. Distal, paradistal and dorsomedian paracymbial apophyses absent (Figs 2–3 and 57). Tegulum very prominent, consisting of a ventrally directed triangular apophysis. Small inconspicuous median apophysis located behind the tegulum (Figs 2, 4, 6, 8, 12). TTA with two well developed processes (p1 and p2): p1 is saddle-shaped, longer than wide, slightly curved in the middle and directed ventrally; p2 is in an apical position and ends with two convergent apical hooks running as a conductor for the embolus (Figs 2, 46, 8, 11, 13). Embolus filamentous following a semicircular course towards the apex and bordering the tegulum.

ML tree inferred using the concatenated dataset of cox1, rrnL mtDNA and H3 nuDNA gene fragments. Numbers next to nodes correspond to bootstrap support values. The tree was rooted using Canarionesticus quadridentatus from the Canary Islands.

Typhlonesticus gocmeni sp. n. male palp. 2 ventral view 3 dorsal view 4 prolateral view 5 retrolateral view. Abbreviations: T = tegulum, MA = median apophysis, p1 = process 1 of TTA, p2 = process 2 of TTA, P = paracymbium, vp = ventral process of paracymbium, dp = dorsal process of paracymbium. Scale bars 0.1 mm.

Typhlonesticus gocmeni sp. n. male palp. 6 ventral view 7 dorsal view 8 retrolateral view 9 prolateral view. Abbreviations: T = tegulum, MA = median apophysis, p1 = process 1 of TTA, p2 = process 2 of TTA, vp = ventral process of paracymbium, dp = dorsal process of paracymbium. Scale bars 0.5 mm.

Typhlonesticus gocmeni sp. n. male palp. 10 nearly retrolateral view 11 ditto 12 nearly ventral view 13 ventral view. Abbreviations: E = embolus, T = tegulum, St = subtegulum, MA = median apophysis, p1 = process 1 of TTA, p2 = process 2 of TTA, P = paracymbium, vp = ventral process of paracymbium, dp = dorsal process of paracymbium.

Measurements (holotype ♂): carapace length 1.15, width 0.88, opisthosoma length 1.60, width 0.84. Total length = 2.75.

Legcoxatroc.femurpatellatibiameta.tarsustotal
I0.400.203.280.523.483.121.1312.13
II0.280.202.200.452.202.000.888.21
III0.250.181.750.431.451.550.686.29
IV0.300.202.420.402.151.950.898.31
Female.

All somatic characters as in male but slightly larger in size. Epigyne convex and prominent, without sclerotized plates (Fig. 14). The posterior edge is slightly sclerotized. Spermathecae and insemination ducts can be observed through the tegument. Vulva quite simple (Figs 15–17), consisting of two almost spherical spermathecae, insemination and fertilization ducts. Insemination duct coiled, forming two laps around the fertilization duct before reaching the spermatheca. Vulval pockets absent.

Typhlonesticus gocmeni sp. n. epigyne and vulva. 14 epigyne ventral view 15 vulva ventral view, 16 ditto 17 vulva dorsal view. Abbreviations: co = copulatory orifice, id = insemination duct, fd = fertilization duct, S = spermatheca. Scale bars 14–15 0.25 mm 16–17 0.1 mm.

Typhlonesticus gocmeni sp. n. 18–19 male, prosoma 18 dorsal view 19 frontal view 20 male in the web 21 female.

Measurements (paratype ♀): carapace length 1.20, width 1.00, opisthosoma length 2.04, width 1.28. Total length = 3.24.

Legcoxatroc.femurpatellatibiameta.tarsustotal
I0.380.152.640.453.402.801.1110.93
II0.320.132.480.452.251.950.938.51
III0.200.131.750.341.401.200.615.63
IV0.370.142.520.422.361.880.978.66
Distribution.

Typhlonesticus gocmeni sp. n. is only known from the type locality. This new species was previously identified as Nesticus morisii by Aydın Topçu and collaborators (2013). The cave is located at the northern part of the West Taurus karst region; on the east side of the Acıpayam polje, at the south eastern slope of the Karadağ hill, about 200 m above the polje level (MTA 1998). It is a fossil cave, almost horizontal and 145 m long with a roof height varying between 1–9 m with many calcite speleothem formations. It is one of the tourist caves in Turkey, open to public access since 2003, with formed tracks and fixed lighting that extend almost the full length of the cave. Specimens were collected or observed during 3 visits on 20.03.2011, 10.07.2011 and 16.10.2011. Adult specimens from both sexes were only collected in July, but also observed in October; while only subadults could be found in March. Specimens were abundant in the dark zone all along the cave, located on their webs build on the speleothem formations.

Molecular data.

Specimens, locality and sequences with corresponding GenBank accession numbers analyzed in the present study are listed in Appendix 1. The final concatenated dataset of the three partial genes sequences includes 13 terminals and 1807 aligned characters (cox1 = 1049, rrnL = 420 and H3 = 338). Primer fidelity across taxa was not always consistent in cox1, consequently some specimens have slightly truncated sequence lengths. Uncorrected cox1 genetic divergences among terminal taxa, and uncorrected genetic cox1 divergences within and between the analyzed genera are summarized in Appendices 3 and 4.

Figure 1 shows the ML tree inferred using the combined data matrix. The new species groups with Typhlonesticus absoloni, Nesticus morisii, Nesticus obcaecatus and Nesticus idriacus. These five species constitute a highly supported evolutionary lineage (bootstrap support = 100). The remaining species included in the analysis belong to the genera Nesticus and Carpathonesticus, which constitute independent and highly supported evolutionary lineages as well. Typhlonesticus gocmeni sp. n. occupies a basal position in the Typhlonesticus clade, and is the sister species of the European representatives. Within this lineage the evolutionary relationships of the species are poorly supported (low bootstrap supports).

The mean uncorrected p-distances of cox1 between and within taxa analyzed (Appendices 34) show high values. The mean p-distance between genera ranges from 11.29% (Nesticus versus Carpathonesticus) to 17.19 (Typhlonesticus versus Carpathonesticus). Also, the average evolutionary divergence within the representatives of the three Mediterranean genera analyzed ranges from 6.43% (Carpathonesticus) to 11.11% (Typhlonesticus).

Appendix 1

Species included in the phylogenetic analysis and GenBank accession numbers for the cox1, rrnL and H3 partial sequences.

SpeciesLocalitycox1rrnLH3
Typhlonesticus gocmeni sp. n.Keloğlan Cave. Dodurgalar Town, Acıpayam District. Denizli Province. Turkey, (37°23'14.74"N, 29°34'18.29"E)KF939310KF939307KF939313
Typhlonesticus absoloni (Kratochvíl, 1933)Baba Tusha Cv. Trnovo, Virpazar Distr., Montenegro, (N42°17'25,1'' / E019°02'10,8'' / 350m)KF417410KF417397KF417416
Typhlonesticus idriacus (Roewer, 1931)Grotte Pre Oreak, Nimis, Friuli. ItalyKF939312
Typhlonesticus morisii (Brignoli, 1975)Sotterranei del Forte di Vernante, Vernante, Cuneo, ItalyKF939311KF939308
Typhlonesticus obcaecatus (Simon, 1907)Cueva del Molino de Aso, Boltaña, Prov. Huesca, Spain.KF939309EU746437
Nesticus eremita Simon, 1879Pishurka Cave. (=Paganetijeva Pécina), Korchula, KorchulaIsl., Croatia. (N 42°57,568; E 17°07,751 / 58m)KF417414KF417400
Nesticus speluncarum Pavesi, 1873Shpella e Dragoit, Gjirokastër, AlbaniaKF417405KF417421
Nesticus arenstorffi Kulczyński, 1914Chora Pecina Cave. Crni nugli, Dragalsko polje, Gorno krivoshije, Shelakov dol, Risan Distr. Montenegro. (N42°35'36,5'' / E018°41'41,6'' / 750m)KF417407KF417403KF417422
Nesticus henderickxi Bosselaers, 1998Kournas Cave. Kournas. CreteKF417409KF417404
Carpathonesticus hungaricus (Chyzer, 1894)Pestera Cave. Liliecilor, Cheile Ampoitei Gorges, Romania. (46°08'21.7748"N, 23°23'39.8507"E)KF417412KF417402KF417419
Carpathonesticus lotriensis Weiss, 1983Unnamed Cave in Lotrioara Valley, Lotrului Mountains, Sibiu, Romania. (45°34'45.8319" / 24°11'16.7493")KF417413KF417399KF417418
Carpathonesticus simoni (Fage, 1931)Unnamed Cave in Bisbrita Gorges, Stogu-Vinturarita Mts., Romania. (45°11'42.2789"N, 024°02'03.2702"E / 491m)KF417408KF417398KF417417
Canarionesticus quadridentatus Wunderlich, 1992Cv. Felipe Reventón, Icod de los Vinos, Tenerife, Canary Islands. (28°21'00.7727"N, 016°42'17.1028"W / 595m)KF417411KF417415
Appendix 3

Uncorrected genetic distances of cox 1 gene between terminal taxa.

Canarionesticus quadridentatus
Typhlonesticus gocmeni sp. n0.1874
Typhlonesticus obcaecatus0.20020.1003
Typhlonesticus obsoloni0.19410.10900.0947
Typhlonesticus morisii0.19530.11780.10780.1078
Typhlonesticus idriacus0.20210.12190.11440.11940.1205
Carpathonesticus simoni0.17980.17850.16390.17060.18980.1860
Carpathonesticus lotriensis0.17910.16870.16040.17150.18470.18450.0471
Carpathonesticus hungaricus0.17630.15300.15310.16080.17050.18220.06970.0775
Nesticus arenstorffi0.18800.14760.14580.16010.17740.17910.10960.10930.1007
Nesticus henderickxi0.17880.15040.15150.15480.15720.17980.12650.12020.11430.0905
Nesticus speluncarum0.16570.14850,15400.15820.15950.16940.11760.10750.11430.07910.0992
Nesticus eremita0.17230.15070.15080.16090.17000.16600.11400.11020.11050.07600.09250.0190
Appendix 4

Average evolutionary divergence between groups (below diagonal), standard error (above diagonal), and average evolutionary divergence within groups (d) and standard error (SE) of cox 1 over sequence pairs.

Canarionesticus0.01070.01060.0104dSE
Typhlonesticus0.19580.01040.00860.11110.0065
Carpathonesticus0.17840.17190.00910.06430.0083
Nesticus0.17620.15960.11290.07680.0059
TopçuASeyyarODemircanN (2013) A contribution to the cave spider fauna of Turkey (Araneae).Zoology in the Middle East59: 9192. doi: 10.1080/09397140.2013.795075MTA (1998) Dodurgalar Cave (Dodurgalar-Acıpayam-Denizli) research report, architectural and electrification as-built project. Mineral Research & Exploration General DirectorateAnkara, 12 pp. [in Turkish]