Meriola fasciata Mello-Leitão

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 : 40-42

Meriola fasciata Mello-Leitão

Figs 1 a–b, 2e–g, 4a–b, 28–30, 91

Trachelopachys fasciatus Mello-Leit „o, 1941a: 178, fig. 70, pl. X, fig. 48 (four female syntypes from Cabana , Cordoba, Argentina, in MLP, examined by Platnick & Ewing, 1995).

Trachelas fasciatus Platnick, 1975: 10 .

Meriola fasciata Platnick & Ewing, 1995: 26 , figs 59–63.

Diagnosis. Males ( Figs 29–30 ) resemble those of M. avalosi sp. nov. by the long RTA with bent tip, but differ by the longer, sinuous embolus, by lacking the bulb distal projection, and by lacking a basal spine on the dorsal side of the femur II. Females ( Fig. 28 ) are easily recognized by the long tube-like anterior hood of the epigyne.

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

Natural history and habitat. The specimens were collected in forests and grasslands; many were found in dry forests (xerophilic and semi-xerophilic forest), with pyrophilus plants, such as Baccharis sp., but also in humid forests.

Distribution. Known from south of Brazil, Uruguay and center of Argentina ( Fig. 91 ).

New records. BRAZIL: Rio Grande do Sul: Quaraí: Estância São Roberto , S 30.293520°, W 55.961878°, 24–28.V.1991, A. Brescovit, 1 male ( MCN 30540) . ARGENTINA: Santa Fe: Vera: Estancia Las Gamas , 16,5 km por aire W de Vera (MJR-loc-161), S 29.44134°, W 60.38455°, elev. 82 m, 20.III.2014, humid chacoan forest, hand collection, M. Ramírez, C. Grismado, L. Piacentini & M. González Márquez, 1 male, sample MGM-00309, temporary preparation MLB-00772 ( MACN-Ar 32284 ) . San Justo: Ruta Nacional Nº 11, 9 km por aire S de Videla (MJR-loc-158), S 31.025681°, W 60.701673°, elev. 44 m, 19.III.2014, grassland, hand collection, M. Ramírez, C. Grismado, L. Piacentini & M. González Márquez, 1 male, sample MGM-00311, fotos MJR IMG-54–56 (MACN-Ar 32281) . San Juan: Iglesia: Paso de Agua Negra , S 30.39291°, W 69.566809°, elev. 3500 m, 12.I.1982, A. Roig Alsina, 2 females ( MACN-Ar 16386 ) . Córdoba: Calamuchita: Valle de Calamuchita , S 31.981373°, W 64.509436°, II.1952, J. Viana, 1 male ( MACN-Ar 30564 ) . Santa Rosa de Calamuchita , S 32.071729°, W 64.54472°, III–IV.1958, J. Viana, 1 female, 5 males ( MACN-Ar 16384 ) . Entre Ríos: Diamante: Parque Nacional Predelta , bosque de barranca, S 32.12034°, W 60.62958°, elev. 26 m, 23–26.V.2011, G. Rubio, L. Piacentini & M. Izquierdo, 4 females, 1 male, temporary preparations MGM-00194–00200 ( MACN-Ar 30366 ) , 1 male, temporary preparations MGM- 00201–00203, MGM-00478–00479 ( MACN-Ar 30567 ) . 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 male, sample MGM-00139 ( MACN-Ar 30277 ) , 1 female, 1 male ( MACN-Ar 30776 ) , 1 female, temporary preparation MGM-00477 ( MACN-Ar 30828 ) . San Luis: Merlo: Quebrada , S 32.336441°, W 64.963298°, 12.XI.1982, A. Roig Alsina, 1 female ( MACN-Ar 16385 ) . Junín: Merlo , S 32.347434°, W 65.011716°, XI.1971, J. Viana, 1 female ( MACN-Ar 16387 ) . Chacabuco: Villa Elena , S 32.505224°, W 64.974619°, 10.XI.1982, rushes, E. Maury, 3 females ( MACN-Ar 16383 ) . Chacabuco: Cortaderas , S 32.505603°, W 64.991119°, 10.XI.1982, in forest of Schinus or under rocks, A. Roig Alsina, 2 females, 1 imm. ( MACN-Ar 30973 ) . URUGUAY: Maldonado: Piriápolis , S 34.831882°, W 55.259071°, 9.XII.1966, R. Capocasale & L. Bruno, 1 female ( CAS, CASENT 9059435 ) .

Figures

FIGURE 1. a, Meriola fasciata Mello-Leit„o, female (MACN-Ar 30366), carapace, dorsal view; b, same, detail of ocular area. c, Trachelas sp. group speciosus, ocular area, dorsal view (Argentina, Jujuy, MACN-Ar 26927). d, Trachelopachys keyserlingi (Roewer), female, ocular area, dorsal view (Argentina, Buenos Aires, MANC-Ar MGM-00109). e, M. rahue Platnick & Ewing, male epigastric area (MACN-Ar 21964). f, M. cetiformis (Strand), female epigastric area (MACN-Ar 36883). g, M. macrocephala (Nicolet), male epigastric area (AMNH MJR-26). Arrows to postepigastric invaginations.

FIGURE 28. Meriola fasciata (Mello-Leit„o), female (MACN-Ar 30828). 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 29. Meriola fasciata (Mello-Leit„o), male (MACN-Ar 30567). 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 30. Meriola fasciata (Mello-Leit„o), male. a, habitus, anterior view (MACN-Ar 30567). b, live specimens (top MACN-Ar 30277, bottom MACN-Ar 32281); c, left palp, prolateral view (MACN-Ar 30567); d, same, ventral view; e, same, retrolateral view.

FIGURE 91. Known distribution of Meriola avalosi sp. nov., M. balcarce and M. fasciata in South America.