Meri jaraua, Rheims & Jäger, 2022

Rheims, Cristina A. & Jäger, Peter, 2022, Revalidation of the genus Sadala Simon, 1880 with the description of a new genus of Neotropical huntsman spiders (Araneae, Sparassidae), Zootaxa 5135 (1), pp. 1-80 : 46-48

Meri jaraua spec. nov.

Figs 169–183 , 316

Sadala keyserlingi: Simon 1880: 323 (only 1♀ syntype, ex MNHN 2459 , misidentification)

Type material. Holotype: BRAZIL: Acre: ♂, Cruzeiro do Sul (‑7.7613, ‑72.3794), 18–20 May 2010, W.E.A. Peres & J. Sobczak leg. ( UFMG 4817 ) . Paratypes: BRAZIL: Acre: 1♀, same vial as holotype ( UFMG 4871 ); Amazonas: 1♀, Alvarães, Comunidade Jarauá (‑1.4245, ‑65.0410), Trilha da Formiga , 4–11 April 2014, C.A. Rheims, Y. Lemos, J. Cabra leg. ( IBSP 166264 ) ; PERU. Loreto: 1♂, 1♀, Iquitos, San Juan Bautista, Zungarococha, Arboretum del UNAP (‑3.8298, ‑73.3753), 8–9 April 2013, C.A. Rheims & R. P. Indicatti leg. ( MUSM); 2♀, same collecting data as previous specimens ( IBSP 165050 ) ; VENEZUELA. Miranda: 1♂, 1♀, 28km Altagracia, Guatopo National Park [10. 4000, ‑66.4167], El Lucero, 14 June–5 August 1987, S. & J. Peck leg. ( AMNH) .

Additional material examined. SURINAME: Brokopondo District: 1♂, Brownsberg Natuurpark, Mazaroni Plateau (4.9333, -55.1667), 16–19 August 1982, W.E. Steiner leg. ( USNM) . FRENCH GUYANA: Cayenne: 1♂, Montagens Kaw, near Camp Calman , ca. 27 km SE Roura (4.9000, -52.3333), 31 July 1988, S. Marshall leg. ( USNM) . BRAZIL: Amazonas: 1♀, Tefé (‑3.3667, ‑64.7000), no date, no leg. ( MNHN 2459 , ex syntype S. keyserlingi ) . ECUADOR: Orellana: 1♀, Tiputini Biodiversity Station, near Yasuni National Park (‑8.7500, ‑76.1333), 9 February 1999, T. L. Erwin et al. leg. ( USNM) ; 1♀, same locality and collector as previous specimen, 4 July 1998 ( USNM) .

Etymology. The specific name refers to the locality of one of the paratypes; noun in apposition.

Diagnosis. Males of M. jaraua spec. nov. resemble those of M. guri spec. nov. ( Figs 162–165 ) by the palp with tegulum strongly indented prolaterally and embolus C-shaped with long membranous region ( Figs 170, 172 ). They are distinguished from the latter species by the RTA gradually tapering ( Fig. 171 ) (RTA with rounded base abruptly narrowed medially towards tip in M. guri spec. nov.). Females resemble those of M. kaieteur spec. nov. ( Figs 184– 185 ) by the vulva with internal ducts with FW postero-laterad, GP posteriad and SP ovoid. They are distinguished from the latter species by the MS roughly two times longer than wide, widest medially and EP with anterior margin reaching half MS lenght ( Figs 173, 176 ) (MS narrow, three times longer than wide, widest posteriorly and EP with anterior margin reaching one fifth MS length in M. kaieteur spec. nov.).

Description. Male (holotype): Total length 10.1. Prosoma 4.7 long, 4.2 wide. Opisthosoma 5.0 long, 2.3 wide. Eye: diameters: 0.42, 0.33, 0.30, 0.35; interdistances: 0.20, 0.10, 0.40, 0.43, 0.28, 0.17. Legs: I: 30.3 (8.2, 2.5, 8.6, 8.6, 2.4); II: 33.3 (9.1, 2.8, 9.6, 8.4, 2.4); III: 21.5 (6.5, 2.0, 5.8, 5.5, 1.7); IV: 24.0 (7.0, 2.0, 6.4, 6.7, 1.9). Spination follows the generic pattern, except tibiae I–II: d1-0-1. Palp: PTA triangular, as wide as long; RTA conical; subtegulum visible in ventral view between 7–9 o’clock; conductor with narrowed base ( Figs 169–172 , 179–181 ).

Female (IBSP 165050, paratype): Total length 12.2. Prosoma 4.7 long, 4.3 wide. Opisthosoma 7.0 long, 4.1 wide. Eyes: diameters: 0.40, 0.34, 0.26, 0.32; interdistances: 0.23, 0.13, 0.45, 0.45, 0.25, 0.20. Legs: I: 22.2 (6.2, 2.5, 6.1, 6.2, 1.2); II: 24.8 (7.1, 2.6, 6.7, 6.7, 1.7); III: 16.7 (5.1, 2.0, 4.3, 4.0, 1.3); IV: 18.9 (5.6, 1.9, 5.0, 5.0, 1.4). Spination follows the generic pattern. Epygine: EF roughly as wide as long; MAB embedded in EF; EP triangular, roughly 1.5 times longer than wide; LL touching posteriorly ( Fig. 173 ). Vulva: internal ducts with FW slender, not dilated; GP 2 times longer than wide, curving medially, arising from ducts at first turn; SP ovoid; FD antero laterad ( Figs 174–175, 177–178 , 183 ).

Variation. Males (n = 2): total length 10.1–13.6; prosoma length 4.7–5.6; femur I length 7.6–8.2. Females (n = 5): total length 10.9–19.4; prosoma length 4.7–7.4; femur I length 6.1–8.2. Epigyne can have MS more laterally covered by LL and EP slightly over 2 times longer than wide ( Fig. 176 , 182 ).

Distribution. Northwestern South America ( Suriname, French Guiana, Ecuador, Peru and Brazil) ( Fig. 316 ).

Figures

FIGURES 169–172. Meri jaraua spec. nov., male (IBSP 165050, paratype), left palp (169 prolateral, 170 ventral, 171 retrolateral, 172 detail of embolus). C—conductor; E—embolus; mr—membranous region; PTA—prolateral tibial apophysis; RTA—retrolateral tibial apophysis; ST—subtegulum. Scale lines: 1 mm.

FIGURES 173–178. Meri jaraua spec. nov., female. 173–175 ex MNHN 2459, 176–178 IBSP 165050, paratype. 173, 176 epigyne; 174, 177 vulva; 175, 178 schematic course of internal duct system). EP—epigynal pocket; FD—fertilization duct; ft—first turn of duct system; GP—glandular projection; LL—lateral lobe; MS—median septum; SP—spermathecae. Scale lines: 1 mm.

FIGURES 179–183. Meri jaraua spec. nov. 179–181 Male (MUSM), left palp (179 prolateral, 180 ventral, 181 retrolateral); 182–183 Female (IBSP 165050) (182 epigyne, 183 vulva). Scale lines: 1 mm.

FIGURES 315–318. Distribution maps for species of Meri gen. nov. 315 (M. martinique spec. nov., M. sanctivincenti (Simon) comb. nov., M. trinitatis (Strand) comb. nov., M. carabobo spec. nov., M. kaieteur spec. nov.); 316 (M. jaraua spec. nov., M. arraijan spec. nov., M. formosus (Banks) comb. nov., M. guri spec. nov., M. tumatumari spec. nov.); 317 (M. zeteki spec. nov., M. manaos spec. nov., M. yaciba spec. nov., M. tapirapeco spec. nov., M. abuna spec. nov.); 318 (M. mathani (Simon) comb. nov., M. pictitarsis (Simon) comb. nov., M. conduri spec. nov., M. paiaia spec. nov., M. tambor spec. nov.);

FIGURES 162–165. Meri guri spec. nov., male (AMNH), left palp (162 prolateral, 163 ventral, 164 retrolateral, 165 detail of embolus). C—conductor; E—embolus; mr—membranous region; PTA—prolateral tibial projection; RpP—retro proximal projection; RTA—retrolateral tibial projection; ST—subtegulum. Scale lines: 1 mm.

FIGURES 184–190. 184–186 Meri kaieteur spec. nov., female (AMNH, paratype) (184 epigyne, 185 vulva, 186 schematic course of internal duct system); 187–190 Meri manaos spec. nov., male (INPA 2453, paratype) left palp (187 prolateral, 188 ventral, 189 retrolateral, 190 detail of embolus). C—conductor; E—embolus; EP—epigynal pocket; FD—fertilization duct; ft—first turn of duct system; GP—glandular projection; LL—lateral lobe; mr—membranous region; MS—median septum; PTA—prolateral tibial apophysis; RdP—retro dorsal projection; RpP—retro proximal projection; RTA—retrolateral tibial projection; SP—spermathecae; ST—subtegulum; tp—tegular protrusion. Scale lines: 1 mm.