Meri pictitarsis Simon 1880, comb. nov.
Creators: name: Rheims, Cristina A.
name: Jäger, Peter
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2022
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Arachnida
Araneae
Sparassidae
Meri
Meri pictitarsis

description: Meri pictitarsis Simon, 1880 comb. nov.
Figs 221–237, 318
Sadala pictitarsis Simon, 1880: 320 (1 male, 5 females, 1 juv. Syntypes from Tefé [‑3.3667, ‑64.7000], Amazonas, Brazil, deposited in MNHN 1140, examined).
Sparassus pictitarsis: Simon 1897: 35.
Olios pictitarsis: Simon 1903a: 1020; Petrunkevitch 1911: 502; Jäger 2020: 81 (misplaced in Olios)
Additional material examined. BRAZIL: Roraima: 1♀, Caracaraí, Rio Jufari, Arquipélago Mariuá‑Jauaperi, Tucano (‑1.0146, ‑62.1051), 25 May 2012, C.A. Rheims leg. (IBSP 166269); 1♀, same locality as previous specimen, 31 May 2012, C.A Rheims & R. P. Indicatti leg. (IBSP 271302). Amazonas: 1♀, Seringalzinho, Parque Nacional do Jáú [‑1.8667, ‑61.5833], April 2004, M.L. Oliveira leg. (INPA 4587); 1♂, Presidente Figueiredo, Usina Hidrelétrica de Balbina [‑1.9000, 59.4667], 1987‑1988, Equipe IBSP leg. (IBSP 7349); 1♀, Coari, Porto Urucu, Base de Operções Geológicas Pedro de Moura (-4.8760, -65.2795), 1 November 2008, S.C. Dias et al. leg. (MPEG 30754); 1♂, Novo Aripuanã [‑5.1238, ‑60.3762], Estrada Cade, 4 October 1974, Geluqueque leg. (INPA 4562); 1♂, Rio Tiqué, Igarapé Araça [‑5.1990, ‑59.7620], 12–18 May 1982, B. Mascarenhas leg. (IBSP 20795).
Diagnosis. Males of M. pictitarsis resemble those of M. yaciba spec. nov. (Figs 297–300) by the palp with RTA with a ventral branch (Fig. 222). They are distinguished from the latter species by RTA distally blunt with ventral branch triangular, slightly longer than wide (Figs 222–223) and embolus with subdistal projection long and laminar (Fig. 224) (RTA distally pointed with ventral branch roughly three times longer than wide and embolus with subdistal projection hook-shaped in M. yaciba spec. nov.). Females resemble those of M. yaciba spec. nov. (Figs 301–303) by the epigyne with MS widest anteriorly, partly covering LL and EP triangular. They are distinguished by the MS with posterior margins in line with posterior margin of LL and EP slightly longer than wide (Posterior margin of MS anterior to that of LL and EP more than 1.5 times longer than wide in M. yaciba spec. nov.).
Redescription. Male (IBSP 20795): Total length 13.0. Prosoma 5.0 long, 5.0 wide. Opisthosoma 7.4 long, 4.9 wide. Eyes: diameters: 0.40, 0.34, 0.24, 0.28; interdistances: 0.22, 0.06, 0.46, 0.40, 0.18, 0.10. Legs: I: 31.4 (8.6, 2.9, 8.7, 8.8, 2.4). II: 33.3 (9.2, 2.9, 9.4, 9.3, 2.5); III: 22.7 (6.8, 2.3, 6.0, 5.9, 1.7); IV: 27.7 (7.6, 2.3, 8.8, 7.0, 2.0). Spination follows the generic pattern except metatarsus IV: p1-1-1. Palp: PTA wider than long, triangular, distally rounded; RTA roughly 2 times longer than wide; subtegulum visible between 9–11 o’clock in ventral view; tegulum slightly protruding close to conductor base; conductor widest at base, distally fanned; embolus bulging prolaterally at base, gently curved, with subdistal projection almost 5 times longer than wide, mediad (Figs 221–224, 231–233).
Female (IBSP 166269): Total length 14.8. Prosoma 5.7 long, 5.2 wide. Opisthosoma 8.5 long, 5.1 wide. Eyes: diameters: 0.45, 0.36, 0.30, 0.36; interdistances: 0.30, 0.23, 0.60, 0.60, 0.35, 0.25. Legs: I: 24.9 (7.1, 3.0, 6.4, 6.6, 1.8); II: 26.4 (7.6, 3.0, 7.0, 7.0, 1.8); III: 18.2 (5.7, 2.2, 4.5, 4.4, 1.4); IV: 20.9 (6.5, 2.1, 5.3, 5.4, 1.6). Spination follows the generic pattern. Epigyne: EF wider than long; MAB inconspicuous; EP triangular, opening at posterior margin of MS (Figs 225, 134). Vulva: internal ducts with FW mediad; GP 2 times longer than wide, antero mediad, arising from ducts at first turn; SP oval; FD laterad (Figs 226–227, 235).
Variation. Males (n = 3): total length 9.8–13.0; prosoma length 4.8–5.0; femur I length 7.8–8.6. Females (n = 7): total length 13.3–16.0; prosoma length 5.2–6.2; femur I length 6.4–7.3. Female epigyne can have under developed EP (Figs 228, 236), spherical SP and FD antero-laterad (Figs 229–230, 237).
Distribution. Known from central Amazonia (Amazonas, Brazil) (Fig. 318).
description: Published as part of 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), pp. 1-80 in Zootaxa 5135 (1) on pages 57-60, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5135.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/6550195