Meri vanini Rheims & Jäger 2022, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Rheims, Cristina A.
name: Jäger, Peter
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2022
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Arachnida
Araneae
Sparassidae
Meri
Meri vanini

description: Meri vanini sp. nov.
Figs 96–99, 101–102, 285–296, 319
Type material. Holotype: BRAZIL: Mato Grosso: ♂, Alta Floresta [‑9.8760, ‑56.0860], 8 August–20 September 2009, J.S. Oliveira leg. (IBSP 246423). Paratypes: BRAZIL: Mato Grosso: 1♀, same collection data as holotype (IBSP 246406); Piauí: 1♂, Guaribas, Parque Nacional da Serra das Confusões (‑9.2211, ‑43.4892), no date, P. R. R. Silva et al. leg. (CHNUFPI 450); Rondônia: 1♀, Porto Velho [‑8.7667, ‑63.9000], Caiçara (transecto 4), 28 February 2010, M.C. Silveira leg. (MZSP 33350); 1♀, same locality as previous specimen, (transecto 2), 24 November 2010, M.C. Silveira leg. (MZSP 37241); Ceará: 1♀, Ubajara, Serra de Ibiapaba, Sítio do Alemão (‑3.8474, ‑40.8885), 22 May 2018, A. Souza et al. leg. (CHNUFPI 2412); Pará: 1♂, 1♀, Belterra [‑2.6387, ‑54.9348], Floresta Nacional do Tapajós, Km 117, 15–17 November 2018, Curso EBAN leg. (IBSP 224164); 1♂, Juruti, Beneficiamento (ponto 1) (‑2.5076, ‑56.1776), 8 May 2010, B. V. B. Rodrigues leg. (MPEG 30859); 1♀, Juruti, Sítio Barroso (‑2.4616, ‑ 56.0032), 7 August 2004, D.F. Candiani leg. (MPEG 8663).
Additional material examined. BRAZIL: Pará: 1♀, Belém, Parque Estadual do Utinga [‑1.4272, ‑48.4380], 16 September 2009, L. T. Miglio leg. (MPEG 30771); 1♀, Mocambo [‑1.4500, ‑48.4500], September 1984, I. Knysak leg. (IBSP 72715); 1♀, Barcarena, Reserva Samaúma (‑1.4953, ‑48.7100), 20 November 2001, D.D. Guimrães leg. (MPEG 316); 1♀, Juruti, Platô Capiranga (linha 168E) (‑2.4728, ‑56.2082), 10 August 2008, N.F. Lo Man Hung leg. (MPEG 30741); 1♀, Altér do Chão, Arioca [‑2.5054, ‑54.9522], 15 June 2007, E. Borari leg. (MPEG 30640); 1♀, Tucuruí, Usina Hidrelétrica de Tucuruí, Rio Tocantins [‑3.8167, ‑49.6333], no date, Equipe Butantan leg. (IBSP 6891); 2♀, 2juvs, Tucuruí [‑3.8167, ‑49.6333], December 1984, Equipe Butantan leg. (IBSP 5630); 1♀, same locality as previous specimen, July 1984, Equipe Butanta leg. (IBSP 5352); 1♀, Tucuruí, Margem esquerda do Rio Tocantins [‑3.8167, ‑49.6333], 15 March 1984, no leg. (MPEG); Ceará: 1♂, Pacatuba, Reserva Particular do Patrimônio Nacional Monte Alegre [‑3.9333, ‑38.6000], 10 March 2018, R. Varela leg. (IBSP 227036); Rondônia: 1♀, Porto Velho [‑8.7667, ‑63.9000], Caiçara (transecto 5), 17 November 2010, R. B. Almeida leg. (MZSP 37307); 1♀, same locality as precious specimen, Caiçara (transecto 3), 22 November 2010, R. B. Almeida leg. (MZSP 35875); 1♀, same locality as previous specimen, Caiçara (transecto 4), 25 August 2010, S. Outeda Jorge leg. (MZSP 34800); Mato Grosso: 1♀, Alta Floresta [‑9.8760, ‑56.0860], 8 August–20 September 2009, J.S. Oliveira leg. (IBSP 246432). PERU: Loreto: 1♀, Rio Ampiyacu [‑3.3166, ‑71.8500], 9 December 1961, B. Malkin leg. (AMNH).
Etymology. The species name honors the late Prof. Sergio Antonio Vanin (1948–2020), of the Zoology Department of the University of São Paulo. A fantastic teacher, a friend and one of the first author’s greatest influences in the study of taxonomy. He is truly missed; name in genitive case.
Diagnosis. Males of M. vanini spec. nov. resemble those of M. tambor spec. nov. (Figs 253–256) by the palp with RTA distally blunt and embolus bulging prolaterally at base, with long, distad, laminar subdistal projection and barely conspicuous membranous area (see Fig. 100). They are distinguished from the latter species by the RTA (Fig. 287) wider than long and embolus retrolaterally straight (Fig. 288) (RTA longer than wide and embolus bulging retrolaterally at base in M. tambor spec. nov.). Females resemble those of M. pictitarsis comb. nov. (Figs 225–227) and M. yaciba spec. nov. (Figs 301–303) by the epigyne with LL covered by MS and not touching posteriorly and vulva with GP arising from ducts at first turn. They are distinguished from both species by the MS widest posteriorly, with anterior margins slightly constricted and EP roughly trapezoid (Fig. 289) (MS widest posteriorly, with anterior margins not constricted and MS triangular in M. pictitarsis and M. yaciba spec. nov.).
Description. Male (MPEG 30859, paratype): Total length 10.0. Prosoma 4.5 long, 4.4 wide. Opisthosoma 5.2 long, 3.2 wide. Eyes: diameters: 0.37, 0.35, 0.27, 0.31; interdistances: 0.25, 0.08, 0.45, 0.41, 0.26, 0.17. Legs: I: 28.8 (7.7, 2.6, 8.0, 8.4, 2.1); II: 30.9 (8.3, 2.7, 8.7, 9.0, 2.2); III: 20.8 (6.1, 2.1, 5.5, 5.5, 1.6); III: 23.3 (6.7, 2.1, 6.3, 6.4, 1.8). Spination follows the generic pattern. Palp: PTA rounded, roughly as wide as long; cymbium with small retroproximal projection; subtegulum visible between 9–11 o’clock in ventral view; tegulum with small protrusion close to conductor base; conductor widest at base, distally fanned; embolus gently curving subdistally with subdistal projection long, roughly 2.5 tmes longer than wide (Figs 285–288, 292–294).
Female (MZSP 37241, paratype): Total length 14.5. Prosoma 6.0 long, 5.3 wide. Opisthosoma 8.1 long, 5.5 wide. Eyes: diameters: 0.41, 0.37, 0.30, 0.36; interdistances: 0.25, 0.20, 0.58, 0.54, 0.32, 0.16. Legs: I: 24.2 (7.0, 2.6, 6.4, 6.5, 1.7); II: 24.3 (7.3, 2.5, 6.5, 6.3, 1.7); III: 18.6 (5.7, 2.3, 4.7, 4.4, 1.5); IV: 20.9 (6.5, 2.2, 5.3, 5.4, 1.5). Epigyne: EF wider than long; MAB inconspicuous; MS longer than wide; EP wider than long with anterior margin slightly rounded (Figs 289, 295). Vulva: internal ducts with FW dilated, mediad; GP slightly longer than wide, antero mediad; SP spherical; FD anteriad (Figs 290–291, 296).
Variation. Males (n = 4): total length 10.0–14.1; prosoma length 4.5–6.5; femur I length 7.7–10.0. Females (n = 10): total length 12.7–15.2; prosoma length 5.2–6.3; femur I length 6.0–7.5.
Distribution. Known from northern Brazil and northeastern Peru (Fig. 319).
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 70-73, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5135.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/6550195