Rafalus
sp-1 Proszynski, 1999 - sp.
uncertain
Remark. This and other similar
specimen has changed during 30-60 years of preservation, colors faded and part
of the setae lost; since they were collected as single individuals in distant
localities, the importance of differences in the genital organs cannot be evaluated;
there is no reason to consider them conspecific either. Legs are similar in
all these females, yellow with indistinct darker annulation; tibia I with 3
pairs of ventral spines; femora III and IV have a particularly long, dorsal
spine basally. Ventral aspect: sternum dark; coxae light; abdomen light - similar
in all 3 females described. The decision on the specific status of these is
left until such time that more material be becomes available.
Material: female - Sinai: Wadi Yah'med, 27. I. 69, coll. S. Riechenstein.
Diagnosis. Orbital setae around AME dorsally fawn, ventrally white; clypeus brown with longer, white setae stretching horizontally. Concentration of whitish setae in the center of eye field and three horizontal streaks on thoracal sides; abdomen dark brown, median dark streak delimited by pairs of white spots.
Female
Cephalothorax: blackish with whitish setae concentrated in the middle of the eye field, around eyes III and above ALE, there are, however, dark setae above AME; thorax and sides, covered with thinner, whitish setae, concentrated on the sides into three horizontal streaks. Abdomen dark brown, with median dark streak delimited by pairs of white spots of adpressed setae, there are no sharp borders and marginally some more white spots; sides light grey. Frontal aspect: eye field, seen from this position, appears dark, with an admixture of white setae, areas behind AME are darker and further on there is a row of white setae; eyes I surrounded ventrally by white and dorsally by light fawn orbital setae; clypeus brown, with longer, white setae stretching horizontally, "subocular" setae thinner and less numerous than in R. christophori, whitish setae overhang the chelicerae. Chelicerae light brown, bulging, with indistinct colorless setae on the surface. Pedipalps, yellow with patella, lighter. Legs yellow, indistinctly annulated; femora I ventrally whitish with 2 brownish spots, prolaterally light brown; patella - tarsus I light fawn, with indistinct darker spots prolaterally (pigmented and with scales). Ventral aspect: sternum dark; coxae light; abdomen ventrally light. Epigyne and its internal structure are shown on drawings.