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

description: Meri jaraua spec. nov.
Figs 169–183, 316
Sadala keyserlingi: Simon 1880: 323 (only 1♀ syntype, ex MNHN 2459, misidentification)
Type material. Holotype: BRAZIL: Acre: ♂, Cruzeiro do Sul (‑7.7613, ‑72.3794), 18–20 May 2010, W.E.A. Peres & J. Sobczak leg. (UFMG 4817). Paratypes: BRAZIL: Acre: 1♀, same vial as holotype (UFMG 4871); Amazonas: 1♀, Alvarães, Comunidade Jarauá (‑1.4245, ‑65.0410), Trilha da Formiga, 4–11 April 2014, C.A. Rheims, Y. Lemos, J. Cabra leg. (IBSP 166264); PERU. Loreto: 1♂, 1♀, Iquitos, San Juan Bautista, Zungarococha, Arboretum del UNAP (‑3.8298, ‑73.3753), 8–9 April 2013, C.A. Rheims & R. P. Indicatti leg. (MUSM); 2♀, same collecting data as previous specimens (IBSP 165050); VENEZUELA. Miranda: 1♂, 1♀, 28km Altagracia, Guatopo National Park [10. 4000, ‑66.4167], El Lucero, 14 June–5 August 1987, S. & J. Peck leg. (AMNH).
Additional material examined. SURINAME: Brokopondo District: 1♂, Brownsberg Natuurpark, Mazaroni Plateau (4.9333, -55.1667), 16–19 August 1982, W.E. Steiner leg. (USNM). FRENCH GUYANA: Cayenne: 1♂, Montagens Kaw, near Camp Calman, ca. 27 km SE Roura (4.9000, -52.3333), 31 July 1988, S. Marshall leg. (USNM). BRAZIL: Amazonas: 1♀, Tefé (‑3.3667, ‑64.7000), no date, no leg. (MNHN 2459, ex syntype S. keyserlingi). ECUADOR: Orellana: 1♀, Tiputini Biodiversity Station, near Yasuni National Park (‑8.7500, ‑76.1333), 9 February 1999, T. L. Erwin et al. leg. (USNM); 1♀, same locality and collector as previous specimen, 4 July 1998 (USNM).
Etymology. The specific name refers to the locality of one of the paratypes; noun in apposition.
Diagnosis. Males of M. jaraua spec. nov. resemble those of M. guri spec. nov. (Figs 162–165) by the palp with tegulum strongly indented prolaterally and embolus C-shaped with long membranous region (Figs 170, 172). They are distinguished from the latter species by the RTA gradually tapering (Fig. 171) (RTA with rounded base abruptly narrowed medially towards tip in M. guri spec. nov.). Females resemble those of M. kaieteur spec. nov. (Figs 184– 185) by the vulva with internal ducts with FW postero-laterad, GP posteriad and SP ovoid. They are distinguished from the latter species by the MS roughly two times longer than wide, widest medially and EP with anterior margin reaching half MS lenght (Figs 173, 176) (MS narrow, three times longer than wide, widest posteriorly and EP with anterior margin reaching one fifth MS length in M. kaieteur spec. nov.).
Description. Male (holotype): Total length 10.1. Prosoma 4.7 long, 4.2 wide. Opisthosoma 5.0 long, 2.3 wide. Eye: diameters: 0.42, 0.33, 0.30, 0.35; interdistances: 0.20, 0.10, 0.40, 0.43, 0.28, 0.17. Legs: I: 30.3 (8.2, 2.5, 8.6, 8.6, 2.4); II: 33.3 (9.1, 2.8, 9.6, 8.4, 2.4); III: 21.5 (6.5, 2.0, 5.8, 5.5, 1.7); IV: 24.0 (7.0, 2.0, 6.4, 6.7, 1.9). Spination follows the generic pattern, except tibiae I–II: d1-0-1. Palp: PTA triangular, as wide as long; RTA conical; subtegulum visible in ventral view between 7–9 o’clock; conductor with narrowed base (Figs 169–172, 179–181).
Female (IBSP 165050, paratype): Total length 12.2. Prosoma 4.7 long, 4.3 wide. Opisthosoma 7.0 long, 4.1 wide. Eyes: diameters: 0.40, 0.34, 0.26, 0.32; interdistances: 0.23, 0.13, 0.45, 0.45, 0.25, 0.20. Legs: I: 22.2 (6.2, 2.5, 6.1, 6.2, 1.2); II: 24.8 (7.1, 2.6, 6.7, 6.7, 1.7); III: 16.7 (5.1, 2.0, 4.3, 4.0, 1.3); IV: 18.9 (5.6, 1.9, 5.0, 5.0, 1.4). Spination follows the generic pattern. Epygine: EF roughly as wide as long; MAB embedded in EF; EP triangular, roughly 1.5 times longer than wide; LL touching posteriorly (Fig. 173). Vulva: internal ducts with FW slender, not dilated; GP 2 times longer than wide, curving medially, arising from ducts at first turn; SP ovoid; FD antero laterad (Figs 174–175, 177–178, 183).
Variation. Males (n = 2): total length 10.1–13.6; prosoma length 4.7–5.6; femur I length 7.6–8.2. Females (n = 5): total length 10.9–19.4; prosoma length 4.7–7.4; femur I length 6.1–8.2. Epigyne can have MS more laterally covered by LL and EP slightly over 2 times longer than wide (Fig. 176, 182).
Distribution. Northwestern South America (Suriname, French Guiana, Ecuador, Peru and Brazil) (Fig. 316).
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 46-48, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5135.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/6550195