98urn:lsid:arphahub.com:pub:3686FA2D-1003-5130-A1A9-6F0A4E63DF4Durn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:A3B9B45C-7F69-42DF-85B6-B3189A5B43F2CaucasianaCaucasiana2667-9809Pensoft Publishers10.3897/caucasiana.4.e173656173656Research ArticleAraneidaeTaxonomyCenozoicNeogeneA revalidation and redescription of the orb-web spider Araniellatbilisiensis (Mcheidze 1997) (Araneae: Araneidae)TiunovArtyomtiunov@psu.ruhttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-3256-55941UstinovaAnastasiya L.https://orcid.org/0009-0007-8053-32861Perm State University, Bukireva Street 15, Perm 614600 RussiaPerm State UniversityPermRussia
20250812202541952010299C4A0-8593-5D31-A39A-7AF4FADD7C8E972EF45E-8889-410F-8A01-E6A1E131DC0C0110202504112025Artyom Tiunov, Anastasiya L. UstinovaThis is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.https://zoobank.org/972EF45E-8889-410F-8A01-E6A1E131DC0C
Based on the female lectotype from the D.E. Kharitonov’s collection, we provide a re-evaluation and redescription of an orb-web spider Araniellatbilisiensis (Mcheidze, 1997). Following an examination of AraniellavillaniiZamani et al., 2020 paratypes, we considered this a junior synonym of A.tbilisiensis. Additionally, the photographs of the epigyne of a female specimen from D.E. Kharitonov’s collection, originally assigned to A.tbilisiensis, are presented as an unknown Araniella sp.
Araniella Chamberlin & Ivie, 1942 comprises 18 species in the world fauna (WSC 2025), with some of the congeners being similar morphologically, especially in females (Spasojevic et al. 2016). The orb-weaver Araniellatbilisiensis (Mcheidze 1997) (originally Araneustbilisiensis), was described in her monograph by Georgian arachnologist Tamara Mcheidze. The original description was reported in Georgian and was based on four females and a single male collected in 1921 in Tbilisi. It included figures of the habitus of both sexes and a drawing of an epigyne. The species was subsequently transferred to the genus Araniella Chamberlin & Ivie, 1942 by Mikhailov (1998) on the basis of these drawings. For a long time, the reevaluation of this species has been complicated due to the poor quality drawings and the language of the original publication, spoken by only a few researchers, until Stefan Otto provided an English translation of the monograph (Mcheidze 2014). Further, A.tbilisiensis was considered as a synonym of A.opisthographa (Kulczyński, 1905), on the basis of similar morphology and overlapping distribution (Zamani et al. 2020) but without any re-examination of the type material.
The type material had been considered lost or damaged (S. Otto, personal communication), until we discovered samples of two female epigynes, a batch of slides containing female legs and body fragments, and a male palp, in a collection of microslides deposited at the Perm State University. These samples were identified by D.E. Kharitonov (T. Mcheidze's mentor) as A.tbilisiensis. The labels on the microslides of one series (female: epigyne, body parts) clearly indicate their belonging to the type series. The epigyne of a specimen from Uzbekistan, identified by D.E. Kharitonov as A.tbilisiensis, differs from all known species of Araniella.
In this paper we aim to resolve the taxonomical issues associated with synonymy of A.tbilisiensis. Images of specimens and label data, measurements and commentaries on the morphology of genitalia, a diagnosis, and a distribution map of A.tbilisiensis and Araniella sp. are provided.
Material and methods
The type material is stored in D.E. Kharitonov’s collection of permanent slides of spiders at the Perm State University (PSUpr; curator S.L. Esyunin); the numeration is provided according to Esyunin (2017). The images of genitalia were taken using a Zeiss Imager.A2 microscope with a Panasonic GH5 digital camera. Stacks of images were processed using CombineZM software. The material of A.villanii was borrowed from the Zoological Museum of Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia (ZMMU; curator: K.G. Mikhailov). Leg measurements are given as follows: total length (femur, patella, tibia, metatarsus, tarsus). All measurements are given in millimetres. The genital morphology follows that by Levi (1974) and Zamani et al. (2020).
Types. Lectotype ♀ (epigyne: PSUpr-24-01, leg II: PSUpr-74-14, right leg I: PSUpr-74-01, left leg I: PSUpr-74-07, right leg II: PSUpr-74-11, left leg II: PSUpr-74-02, right leg III: PSUpr-74-03, left leg III: PSUpr-74-05, right leg IV: PSUpr-74-10, sternum: PSUpr-74-08, chelicerae: PSUpr-74-13, pedipalps: PSUpr-74-06, abdomen (ventral side): PSUpr-74-12, abdomen (dorsal side): PSUpr-74-04, cephalothorax: PSUpr-74-09), Georgia: Tbilisi, 41°42.00′N, 44°48.00′E, 1921 (collector unknown).
Paratypes of AraniellavillaniiZamani et al., 2020. Kazakhstan. • 2♂4♀ (ZMMU Ta-8234), East Kazakhstan Region: Urzhar Distr., Tarbagatai Mt. Range, 5 km NE of Alekseevka, Urzharka river canyon, left bank; 47°17.00'N, 81°37.00'E; 1050–1200 m; 23 June 2001; leg. Gromov A.V. ; • 3♂4♀ (ZMMU Ta-8233), Urzhar Distr., 7–8 km NE of Karatuma [=Kirovka], Tarbagatai Mt. Range, Sholakterek river canyon, left bank; 47°10.00'N, 82°06.00'E; 1200–1250 m; 23 June 2001; leg. Gromov A.V.; • ♂2♀ (ZMMU Ta-8232), Urzhar Distr., ca. 4 km NE of Kyzylbulak [=Petrovskoye], Kyzylbulak river canyon, left bank; 47°03.00'N, 82°18.00'E; 1100–1150 m; 21 June 2001; leg. Gromov A.V.
Other material examined.
• ♂ (palp: PSUpr-24-06); between Sughd Region, Khujand, Tajikistan; 40°17.00'N, 69°37.00'E and Tashkent Region, Humson, 41°41.00'N, 69°56.00'E Uzbekistan (collector unknown); • ♂ (PSU) East Kazakhstan Region: Alekseevka vill.; 50°27.00'N, 81°28.00'E; 23 June 1996; leg. Zinchenko V.K.
Remarks.
The female from Georgia (Figs 1–2) is designated as the lectotype, because its label data corresponds to the original description and directly states it belongs to the type series. A male specimen from the type series is unavailable. We compared the type specimen of A.tbilisiensis with the collection materials of A.opisthographa, and concluded that the tentative synonymisation of A.tbilisiensis was incorrect, and that A.tbilisiensis is a valid species.
Comparing the lectotype with congenerics, we found that the genital structure of the female of AraniellavillaniiZamani et al., 2020 shows no differences with A.tbilisiensis. Upon examining the A.villanii paratypes stored at ZMMU (Figs 3–4), we concluded that revised specimens are conspecific.
The male specimen, identified by D.E. Kharitonov as A.tbilisiensis also matches with the description of A.villanii. This specimen does not belong to the type series due to different years and collection locations, but the genitalia structure is similar to that of A.villanii, and collection area corresponds to the A.villanii distribution area.
The species was illustrated and described to a high standard by Zamani et al. 2020; consequently, for a description of morphology refer to Zamani et al. 2020 sub A.villanii. We made additional photographs of the A.villanii paratype epigyne to better visualise the copulatory ducts and seminal receptacles. The shape and arrangement of these structures show no differences from the lectotype of A.tbilisiensis. Therefore, we consider A.villanii to be a junior synonym of A.tbilisiensis.
In the original description, Mcheidze compares A.tbilisiensis with Araneuscroaticus Kulczynski, 1905 (= Aranielladisplicata (Hentz, 1847)), noting that species differ in the following: 1) median plate of epigyne is broader and overall shorter in A.tbilisiensis than in A.displicata; 2) there is a dark lateral fringe on scapus of A.tbilisiensis. Additionally, in A.tbilisiensis copulatory ducts are directed towards each other, their width is only half width of seminal receptacles, whereas in A.displicata, copulatory ducts are directed in opposite directions and are more than twice as narrow as seminal receptacles. The scape of A.tbilisiensis is narrower than the base of epigyne, whereas in A.displicata the scape is wider than the base of the epigyne. The species also resembles A.proxima (Kulczyński, 1885) and A.opisthographa (Kulczyński, 1905). The differences between these species are described in detail in Zamani et al. 2020 sub A.villanii.
Distribution.
Georgia, Tajikistan OR Uzbekistan [present paper], Iran, Kazakhstan, India (Zamani et al. 2020), Azerbaijan (Zamani et al. 2025) (Fig. 7).
Collecting sites of: Araniellatbilisiensis (Mcheidze, 1997) – circles, Araniella sp. – square. Colours: green – present data, blue – Zamani et al. (2020), purple – Zamani (et al. 2025). The lectotype collection site is marked with a cross sign. The collection site of the male from D.E. Kharitonov’s collection is marked with a hatched area.
The female Araniella sp. was found in D.E. Kharitonov’s collection (identified as A.tbilisiensis). However, it differs from A.tbilisiensis in the following aspects: seminal receptacles located close to each other, more rounded lateral plates, narrower scapus with width equal the width of median plates, and dome-shaped tip of scapus.
The authors are grateful to S.L. Esyunin (Perm State University, Perm, Russia) for his valuable advice during the preparation of this article. Special thanks to K.G. Mikhailov (Zoological Museum of Moscow University, Moscow) for providing an access to the collection material and to Maria K. Nikitina and Ekaterina V. Isaeva for editing the English version of the final draft. We would like to acknowledge the contribution made by reviewers and editorial board of Caucasiana in improving the manuscript.
Additional informationConflict of interest
The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.
Anastasiya L. Ustinova https://orcid.org/0009-0007-8053-3286
Data availability
All of the data that support the findings of this study are available in the main text or Supplementary Information.
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