Taraire rufolineata Álvarez-Padilla & Kallal & Hormiga 2020, comb. nov.
Creators: name: Álvarez-Padilla, Fernando
name: Kallal, Robert J.
name: Hormiga, Gustavo
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2020
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Arachnida
Araneae
Tetragnathidae
Taraire
Taraire rufolineata

description: Taraire rufolineata (Urquhart, 1889), comb. nov.
Figures 4, 45–50, 55
Linyphia rufo-lineata Urquhart, 1889: 137 (male and female syntypes).
Landana lautiuscula Dalmas, 1917: 372, figs. 40–43 (female description). Two female syntypes (from Murchison, South Island), MNHN, examined. Synonymized by Bryant (1933), although Dalmas’ syntypes were not examined by her.
Meta rufolineata (Urquart, 1889) Bryant, 1933: 21. Transferred from Landana to Meta.
TYPE MATERIAL: Syntypes (2 males, 3 females, 1 juvenile) from the North Island of New Zealand, summit of Te Aroha, deposited at the Canterbury Museum (A1367). The syntypes have been examined by Cor Vink (in litt., G.H.) to confirm the identification.
DIAGNOSIS: Taraire rufolineata can be differentiated from T. oculta by the median projection of the epigynum, which does not extend beyond the distal margin (fig. 47A); this median projection does extend beyond that margin in the latter species (fig. 47B). The epigynal median plate of T. rufolineata is triangular, almost the same width as the epigynum and copulatory openings directed toward the epigynum lateral margins (figs. 47C, 48B); this plate is considerably narrower and with the copulatory openings directed to the sagittal plane in T. oculta (fig. 47D). The conductor of T. rufolineata has a distal portion bent apically and its basal part is continuous with the tegulum (figs. 46A, 48H, 49A), whereas T. oculta has a conductor with both portions bent (fig. 46B). The embolus basal apophysis not covered by conductor and its complex shape is also diagnostic for T. rufolineata (figs. 46A, 49B): in addition, the CEBP lacks spines (figs. 48F, 49C), while T. oculta bears one spine on this process (figs. 48E, 50C).
DESCRIPTION: Female (TEAU029, TEAU043) total length 6.6. Cephalothorax length 2.5, width 2.1. Clypeus height 0.9 AME diameter. Cheliceral promargin and retromargin with three and two teeth respectively, with ca. two cheliceral denticles. Femur I length 3.6. Copulatory ducts modified as membranous sacs with smooth cuticle (figs. 47E, 49E), spermathecae round and slightly more sclerotized that the “copulatory sacs” (fig. 47E), accessory duct glands clustered on puDzall-shaped clusters (figs. 48C, 49E).
Male (TEAU030, TEAU046) same as female except as noted. Total length 8.2. Cephalothorax length 4.4, width 3.3. Clypeus 0.6 AME diameter (fig. 45D). Cephalothorax and abdomen lighter than female. Femur I length 8.9. Embolic apophysis formed by a heavily sclerotized curved lamella with a membranous center (fig. 46A, E, G).
VARIATION: Females (N = 3) total length 4.95– 6.58, cephalothorax length 2.35–2.52, width 1.85–2.05.
DISTRIBUTION: Taraire rufolineata is found around the area of Arthur’s Pass in the central region of the South Island of New Zealand (fig. 55). The syntypes were collected at the summit of Mount Te Aroha (952 m), the highest point on the Kaimai-Mamaku range, but so far this is the only record of this species from the North Island.
NATURAL HISTORY: Taraire rufolineata builds vertical orb webs in forested areas, with an open hub centrally located. They rest at the central hub with two legs forward and the fourth pair pointed back (fig. 4A).
MATERIAL EXAMINED: N = 9. NEW ZEA- LAND, South Island, Arthur’s Pass National Park, Bridal Veil Track, 42° 55′ 49.6″ S, 171° 33′ 43.4″ E, 819 m. G. Hormiga, N. Scharff, J. Pedersen, 4–5 February 2012, 1 male, 1 female (DNA voucher GH1136) GWU; 1 female (G. Hormiga field image photos 7979–7983/ 4.ii.2012 GH) GWU; 1 female (G. Hormiga field image photos 7984–7988/ 4.ii.2012 GH) GWU; 23 females, 4 immatures (image voucher TEAU043) GWU; Bealey Vy Tr., 42° 56′ 1.75″ S, 171° 33′ 29.65″ E, 840 m. A. Newton & M. Thayer 18–21 March 1980, Subalpine Nothofagus, Nothofagus solandri bark pyrethrin fogging 1 female AMNH; Selwyn Dist. Co., Bridal Veil Falls Track, 42° 56′ 1.3″ S, 171° 33′ 47.7″ E, 789 m. G. Hormiga, N. Scharff, 4 March 2010, leaf litter, moss, & general collecting at night, 1 female (image voucher TEAU029) GWU; 1 male (image voucher TEAU030) GWU; 1 male, 4 females, 4 immatures (image voucher TEAU046) GWU.
description: Published as part of Álvarez-Padilla, Fernando, Kallal, Robert J. & Hormiga, Gustavo, 2020, Taxonomy And Phylogenetics Of Nanometinae And Other Australasian Orb-Weaving Spiders (Araneae: Tetragnathidae), pp. 1-107 in Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 2020 (438) on pages 1-107, DOI: 10.1206/0003-0090.438.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/4613901