Meri yaciba, 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 : 73-74

Meri yaciba sp. nov.

Figs 297–308, 317

Type material. Holotype: VENEZUELA: Amazonas: ♂, Rio Yaciba [1.2333, ‑66.7333], 3 December 1953 ( AMNH) . Paratype: VENEZUELA: Amazonas: 1♀, same locality as holotype, Igarapé, 7 December 1953, W.M. Beebe leg. ( AMNH) .

Etymology. The specific name refers to the type locality; noun in apposition.

Diagnosis. Males of M. yaciba spec. nov. resemble those of M. pictitarsis ( Figs 221–224 ) by the palp with RTA with a ventral branch ( Fig. 298). They are distinguished from the latter species by RTA distally pointed with ventral branch roughly three times longer than wide ( Fig. 288–289) and embolus with subdistal projection hook-shaped ( Fig. 300) (RTA distally blunt with ventral branch triangular, slightly longer than wide and embolus with subdistal projection long, mediad and laminar in M. pictitarsis ). Females resemble those of M. pictitarsis comb. nov. ( Figs 225–227 ) by the epigyne with MS widest anteriorly, partly covering LL and EP triangular. They are distinguished by the MS with posterior margin anterior to that of LL and EP more than 1.5 times longer than wide (MS with posterior margins in line with posterior margin of LL and EP slightly longer than wide in M. pictitarsis comb. nov.).

Description. Male (holotype): Total length 11.7. Prosoma 5.2 long, 4.5 wide. Opisthosoma 6.0 long, 3.0 wide. Eyes: diameters: 0.46, 0.40, 0.30, 0.35; interdistances: 0.20, 0.05, 0.45, 0.45, 0.27, 0.18. Legs: I: 29.9 (8.0, 2.9, 8.4, 8.4, 2.2); II: 32.3 (9.0, 2.9, 9.2, 8.9, 2.3); III: 21.5 (6.2, 2.2, 5.9, 5.5, 1.7); IV: 7.7, 2.1, 6.8, 6.9, 2.0). Palp: PTA trapezoid, roughly 2 times wider than long; RTA roughly 1.5 times longer than wide; cymbium with small retroproximal projection; subtegulum visible betwee 9–11:30 o’clock in ventral view; tegulum depressed close to conductor; conductor roughly the same width throughout; embolus curving subdistally ( Figs 297–300, 304–306).

Female (paratype): Prosoma 6.0 long, 5.2 wide. Opisthosoma destroyed. Eyes: diameters: 0.50, 0.40, 0.30, 0.38; interdistances: 0.30, 0.30, 0.70, 0.61, 0.30, 0.25. Legs: I: 26.1 (7.2, 3.0, 7.0, 6.9, 2.0); II: 29.0 (8.0, 3.1, 8.0, 7.9, 2.0); III: 20.3 (6.0, 2.6, 5.0, 5.1, 1.6); IV: absent. Epigyne (broken anteriorly): MS as wide as long with lateral margins diverging anteriorly; HP triangular, opening at posterior margin of MS ( Figs 301, 307). Vulva: internal ducts with FW C-shaped, mediad; GP longer than wide, antero mediad; SP rounded; FD antero mediad ( Figs 302–303, 308).

Distribution. Only known from the type locality ( Fig. 317).

Figures

FIGURES 221–224. Meri pictitarsis (Simon) comb. nov., male (IBSP 20795), left palp (221 prolateral, 222 ventral, 223 retrolateral, 224 detail of embolus). C—conductor; E—embolus; mr—membranous region; PTA—prolateral tibial apophysis; RTA— retrolateral tibial apophysis; SdP—subdistal projection; tp—tegular protrusion; vb—ventral branch of RTA. Scale lines: 1 mm.

FIGURES 225–230. Meri pictitarsis (Simon) comb. nov. 225–227 female (MNHN 1140, syntype) (225 epigyne, 226 vulva, 227 schematic course of internal duct system); 228–230 female (MNHN 1140, syntype) (228 epigyne, 229 vulva, 230 schematic course of internal duct system). EP—epigynal pocket; FD—fertilization duct; ft—first turn of duct system; GP—glandular projection; MS—median septum; SP—spermathecae. Scale lines: 1 mm.