Meri carabobo, 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 : 38

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.5135.1.1
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:0CC0D586-E099-4593-9032-EA1885F00F3B
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6550418
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/039787EF-FF84-C92B-FF32-FF1DFCDBFB9D
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Meri carabobo
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Meri carabobo View in CoL spec. nov.

Figs 126–137 View FIGURES 126–132 View FIGURES 133–137 , 315 View FIGURES 315–318

Type material. Holotype: VENEZUELA: Aragua: ♂, Rancho Grande [10.3493, ‑67.6845], 30 May 1946, W. Beebe et al. leg. ( AMNH) GoogleMaps . Paratype: VENEZUELA: Carabobo: 1♀, Parque Nacional San Esteban [10.3908, ‑ 67.9802], near Maracay, 26 January 1940, P. Andruze leg. ( AMNH) GoogleMaps .

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

Diagnosis. Males of M. carabobo spec. nov. are distinguished from those of other congeners by the palp with embolus roughtly straight lacking any projections or membranous areas ( Figs 127, 129 View FIGURES 126–132 ). Females resemble those of M. arraijan spec. nov. ( Figs 121–123 View FIGURES 118–123 ) by the epigyne with EF bearing a long, transversal anterior groove and EP opening posteriorly on MS. They are distinguished from the latter species by the MS widest medially and EP with anterior margin surpassing half MS length ( Fig. 130 View FIGURES 126–132 ) (MS widest anteriorly and EP with anterior margin not surpassing half MS length in M. arraijan spec. nov.).

Description. Male (holotype): Total length 12.8. Prosoma: 5.7 long, 5.2 wide. Opisthosoma: 6.9 long, 4.2 wide. Eyes: diameters: 0.45, 0.37, 0.25, 0.37; interdistances: 0.23, 0.10, 0.50, 0.50, 0.28, 0.20. Legs: I: 33.2 (9.0, 3.1, 9.0, 9.8, 2.3); II: 36.9 (10.0, 3.3, 10.4, 10.9, 2.3); III: 23.4 (6.2, 2.6, 6.5, 6.4, 1.7); IV: 27.9 (8.2, 2.5, 7.4, 7.9, 1.9). Spination follows the generic pattern except tibiae I–II: d1-0-1; metatarsus IV: r1-1-2. Palp: PTA triangular, as long as wide; RTA gutter-shaped, slightly widened distally and blunt, roughly 2 times longer than its widest part (retrolateral view); cymbium with small retro proximal projection; subtegulum barely visible between 11–12 o’clock in ventral view ( Figs 126–129 View FIGURES 126–132 , 133–135 View FIGURES 133–137 ).

Female (paratype): Total length 13.9. Prosoma 5.6 long, 5.8 wide. Opisthosoma 7.3 long, 4.5 wide. Eyes: diameters: 0.40, 0.35, 0.30, 0.35; interdistances: 0.38, 0.25, 0.55, 0.62, 0.36, 0.25. Legs: I: 24.3 (7.0, 3.0, 6.2, 6.4, 1.7); II: - (7.5, 3.0, 7.0, 6.9, rest of leg absent); III: - (5.8, rest of leg absent); IV: absent. Epigyne: EF roughly as wide as long; MAB short and narrow; MS tear-shaped, widest medially; EP triangular, longer than wide, opening slightly anterior to posterior margin of MS; LL touching posteriorly ( Figs 130 View FIGURES 126–132 , 136 View FIGURES 133–137 ). Vulva: internal ducts with FW not dilated, postero laterad; GP rounded, slightly longer than wide, arising from ducts at first turn; antero laterad; SP spherical; FD antero laterad ( Figs 131–132 View FIGURES 126–132 , 137 View FIGURES 133–137 ).

Distribution. Known from northern Venezuela ( Fig. 315 View FIGURES 315–318 ).