Meriola setosa ( Simon, 1897 ) González & Grismado & Ramírez, 2021

González, María E., Grismado, Cristian J. & Ramírez, Martín J., 2021, A Taxonomic Revision Of The Spider Genus Meriola Banks (Araneae: Trachelidae), Zootaxa 4936 (1), pp. 1-113 : 93

Meriola setosa ( Simon, 1897) , comb. nov.

Figs 76–79 , 94a

Ceto setosa Simon, 1897: 509 (Dm) (2 males and 2 imms. from Caraça , Brasilia, Brazil, in MNHN 8190; labeled as “ Ceto hirsuta ”, examined; Fig. 78 ).

Trachelopachys gulosus Mello-Leit „o, 1940: 51, fig. 50 (female holotype from Alto Limay , Neuquén, Argentina, in MLP, examined).

Ceto hyltonae Mello-Leit „o, 1940: 53, figs 52, 53 (female holotype from Comodoro Rivadavia , Chubut, Argentina, in MLP, examined). syn. nov.

Trachelopachys segmentatus Mello-Leit „o, 1942: 418, figs 43, 44 (male holotype from Charata , Chaco, Argentina, in MLP, examined).

Cetonana elongata Mello-Leit „o, 1943b: 114, fig. 16 (female holotype from Rayo Cortado , Córdoba, Argentina, in MLP, examined).

Trachelas gulosus Platnick, 1975: 10 .

Trachelas segmentatus Platnick, 1975: 10 .

Meriola hyltonae Platnick & Ewing, 1995: 32 , figs 82–86.

Diagnosis. Males ( Figs 77 , 78 , 79 b–e) resemble those of M. lineolata comb. nov. and M. puyehue by the very short embolus, partially concealed by the distal part of the bulb, but differ from both by the larger, triangular RTA that is located distally. Females ( Fig. 76 , 79a ) also resemble to those of M. puyehue by the twisted copulatory ducts and closely spaced posterior epigynal ridges, but the ridges are diverging in M. setosa (parallel in M. puyehue ), the spermathecae are larger in M. setosa comb. nov., and the epigyne lacks the elevated median hood.

Notes. We identify the specimen of C. setosa examined as the type, because its morphology is compatible with the description, and also by the label’s information with Simon’s calligraphy ( Fig. 78e ), indicating that was collected by “Gou” (Gounelle) in Caraça, a locality in Minas Gerais where Gounelle collected (see Vasconcelos & Melo-Júnior 2001). The specific epithet “hirsuta”, as written on the label, is very similar in meaning to “setosa”, referring to the hairy appearance of this species.

Description. See Platnick & Ewing (1995) for male and female descriptions (under Meriola hyltonae ).

Natural history and habitat. The specimens were collected in flooded grasslands, under rocks or at grassland at the edge of Baccharis sp. vegetation (“chilcal”). Some specimens were found in marshes and others in forests, beating shrubs. A few specimens were collected in bird nests of Anumbius annumbi (“leñatero”) and of Caracara plancus (“carancho”).

Distribution. Known from southern Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina ( Fig. 94a ).

New records. BRAZIL: Rio Grande do Sul / Santa Catarina: Rio Uruguai , S 27.343039°, W 52.370504°, 2.IX.2010, R. Francisco, 1 male ( MCTP 34400 ) . Rio Grande do Sul: S„o Francisco de Paula: Passo do Inferno , S 29.275000°, W 50.739167°, 20.IV.1979, A. Lise, 1 female ( MCN 8556 ) . Canela , S 29.356493°, W 50.812426°, 20.III.1976, A. Lise, 1 male ( MCN 4000 ) . Same locality, 23.X.1977, J. Thomé, 1 female ( MCN 7412 ) . Quaraí: Estância São Roberto , S 30.293520°, W 55.961878°, 24–28.V.1991, A. Brescovit, 1 female ( MCN 21206) . Bagé , S 31.330154°, W 54.100505°, 10.I.1966, C. de Oliveira, 1 male ( MCN 236 ) . URUGUAY: Artigas: Ruta 30 en el punto más alto de la Cuchilla , S 30.659257°, W 56.318252°, elev. 344 m, 13.XII.2005, F. Labarque, A. Ojanguren Affilastro & C. Mattoni, 1 male, sample EMS-04095, ARAMR000576, temporary preparation MGM-00157 ( MACN-Ar 30057 ) . ARGENTINA: Tucumán: Tafí del Valle: Camino Tafí del Valle, El Indio , S 27.056099°, W 65.671669°, 21.V.1977, A. Roig Alsina, 1 female ( MACN-Ar 16347 ) . Santa Fe: 9 de Julio: Ruta Nacional Nº 98, camino a Tostado , 97 km por aire W de Vera (MJR-loc-163), S 29.23545°, W 61.17110°, elev. 65 m, 21–24.III.2014, flooded grasslands, hand collection, M. Ramírez, C. Grismado, L. Piacentini & M. González Márquez, 1 female, sample MGM-00274 ( MACN-Ar 33012 ) . San Juan: Valle Fértil: Parque Provincial Valle Fértil , entrada sur (LNPloc-021), S 30.73694444°, W 67.43166666°, elev. 857 m, 5.XII.2014, under rocks, L. Piacentini & E. Soto, 1 female, sample LNP-4503 ( MACN-Ar 34028 ) . Entre Ríos: Diamante: Parque Nacional Predelta, Campo Sarmiento , 6 km S de Diamante (MJR-loc-141), S 32.12182°, W 60.62525°, elev. 39 m, 30.IV.2013, grassland at the edge of Baccharis sp. vegetation (“ Chilcal ”), hand collection, M. Ramírez, L. Piacentini, M. González Márquez, A. Laborda & S. Aisen, 1 female, sample MGM-00140 ( MACN-Ar 30278 ) , 4 females ( MACN-Ar 30774 ) , 1 female ( MACN-Ar 30831 ) . Parque Nacional Predelta , bañado cerca de entrada, 6 km S de Diamante (MJR-loc-142), S 32.12194°, W 60.62996°, elev. 10 m, 30.IV.2013, marsh in lagoon, hand collection, M. Ramírez, L. Piacentini, M. González Márquez, A. Laborda & S. Aisen, 1 female, sample MGM-00135, temporary preparation MGM-00188 ( MACN-Ar 30273 ) , 1 male, sample MGM-00136, temporary preparation MGM-00189, MGM-00364–00365 ( MACN-Ar 30274 ) , 1 female, sample MGM-00153 ( MACN-Ar 30291 ) . Mendoza: Cerro Arcos , S 32.839889°, W 68.949086°, 11.V.2013, leaf litter, A. Porta, 1 female ( MACN-Ar 36181 ) . Luján de Cuyo: Potrerillos , S 32.956473°, W 69.201875°, 24.III.1979, A. Roig Alsina, 1 female ( MACN-Ar 16358 ) . Las Heras: Central Hidroeléctrica Álvarez Condarco , S 32.995000°, W 69.125833°, 4.IV.1979, A. Roig Alsina, 1 female ( MACN-Ar 16353 ) . Rivada via: San Isidro , S 33.186040°, W 68.459048°, 10.IV.1979, A. Roig Alsina, 1 female, 1 imm. ( MACN-Ar 16352 ) . Tunuyán: 10 km de El Manzano , S 33.601925°, W 69.382055°, elev. 2400 m, 29.V.1975, A. Roig Alsina, 1 female ( MACN-Ar 16346 ) . San Carlos: Arroyo El Carrizalito , S 34.595001°, W 69.270364°, 23.I.1979, A. Roig Alsina, 1 male ( MACN-Ar 16357 ) . Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires: Reserva Ecológica Costanera Sur, Laguna de los Macáes , S 34.606277°, W 58.348817°, 24.X.2011, L. Zapata, G. Rubio, M. Izquierdo, M. Guala & C. Grismado, 1 female ( MACN-Ar 33087 ) . Buenos Aires: Campana: Reserva Natural Otamendi , S 34.225306°, W 58.900250°, elev. 32 m, 22.IV.2006, M. Ramírez, F. Labarque & C. Sosa, 1 female ( MACN-Ar 10980 ) , 1 male ( MACN-Ar 10984 ) , 2 females, 1 male ( MACN-Ar 11026 ) . Reserva Natural Otamendi, Sendero Guardianes de la Barranca , S 34.230759°, W 58.894898°, elev. 16 m, 7.IV.2007, forest, beating shrubs, C. Grismado, L. Damer, N. López, S. Trivero, I. Crudele & N. Olejnik, 1 female, 1 imm. ( MACN-Ar 12457 ) . Estación Río Luján , S 34.278°, W 58.890168°, elev. 4 m, 10.III.2007, grassland, hand collection, C. Grismado, L. Damer, N. López, S. Trivero, I. Crudele & N. Olejnik, 2 imms. ( MACN-Ar 12223 ) . Same locality, 7.IV.2007, grassland, beating shrubs, C. Grismado, L. Damer, N. López, S. Trivero, I. Crudele & N. Olejnik, 8 females, 1 male ( MACN-Ar 12354 ) . Same data, hand collection, 2 males ( MACN-Ar 12481 ) . Same locality, 19.V.2007, grassland, beating shrubs, C. Grismado, I. Crudele, N. Olejnik & S. Trivero, 1 female ( MACN-Ar 12538 ) . Same locality, 28.VII.2007, grassland, beating shrubs, C. Grismado, L. Damer, I. Crudele, N. Olejnik, N. López & S. De Biase, 2 females ( MACN-Ar 12791 ) . Ferrocarril General Belgrano, Campo de Mayo , km 26, S 34.556174°, W 58.657914°, 17.IV.2006, in nest of “leñatero” ( Anumbius annumbi ), P. Turienzo, 3 females ( MACN-Ar 33083 ) . Same locality, nest of “carancho” ( Caracara plancus ), P. Turienzo, 1 imm. ( MACN-Ar 33085 ) . Buenos Aires, S 36.412991°, W 60.402024°, IV.1940, F. Monrós, 1 female ( MACN-Ar 16635 ) . Tandil: Reserva Natural Sierra del Tigre , S 37.379444°, W 59.128889°, IV.2012, pitfall traps, N. Ferretti, 2 females, 2 males ( MACN-Ar 33022 ) . Tornquist: Parque Provincial Ernesto Tornquist , 300 m del bosque del sismógrafo, S 38.06668°, W 61.96355°, elev. 534 m, 2–3.VII.2013, hand collection, M. Izquierdo, N. Ferretti, G. Pompozzi & S. Copperi, 1 female, sample MAI-04149, temporary preparation MAI-01511 ( MACN-Ar 32246 ) . Sierra de la Ventana , S 38.137325°, W 61.794005°, II.1967, M. Galiano, 1 female ( MACN-Ar 16677 ) . Same locality, 6.III.1994, M. Ramírez, 1 female, 3 males ( MACN-Ar 16478 ) . Patagones: Puerto San Blas, Buque Oceanográfico “San Luis”, IV.1932, A. Carcelles & J. Daguerre, 1 female, 1 male ( MACN-Ar 16638 ) . La Pampa: Capital: Santa Rosa , S 36.617996°, W 64.282367°, 30.XI.2007, in nest of “leñatero” ( Anumbius annumbi ), P. Turienzo, 1 female ( MACN-Ar 30983 ) . Capital: Santa Rosa , S 36.617996°, W 64.282367°, 7.X.2007, in nest of “leñatero” ( Anumbius annumbi ), P. Turienzo, 1 imm. ( MACN-Ar 30984 ) . Neuquén: Confluencia: Neuquén , S 38.933089°, W 68.097216°, IX.1973, O. Ferraris, 1 male ( MACN-Ar 16373 ) . Río Negro: Adolfo Alsina: Viedma , S 40.872713°, W 63.027025°, I.2013, hand collection, H. Iuri, 1 female, 2 imms. ( MACN-Ar 30987 ) .

Figures

FIGURE 76. Meriola setosa (Simon), female (MACN-Ar 30831). a, habitus, dorsal view; b, same, ventral view; c, same, lateral view; d, prosoma, dorsal view; e, same, ventral view; f, same, lateral view; g, habitus, anterior view; h, epigyne, ventral view.

FIGURE 77. Meriola setosa (Simon) comb. nov., male (MACN-Ar 30274). a, habitus, dorsal view; b, same, ventral view; c, same, lateral view; d, prosoma, dorsal view; e, same, ventral view; f, same, lateral view.

FIGURE 78. Meriola setosa (Simon) comb. nov., holotype male (MNHN 8190). a, habitus, dorsal view; b, same, ventral view; c, same, lateral view; d, carapace, dorsal view; e, MNHN labels, note the lapsus “hirsuta”; f, left palp, prolateral view; g, same, ventral view; h, same, retrolateral view.

FIGURE 79. Meriola setosa (Simon) comb. nov.. a, female, live specimen (MACN-Ar 30278). b, male, habitus, anterior view (MACN-Ar 30274); c, left palp, prolateral view; d, same, ventral view; e, same, retrolateral view.

FIGURE 94. a, b. Known distribution of Meriola penai, M. setosa comb. nov., M. davidi, M. gallina and M. ramirezi in South America