Meri formosus ( Banks, 1929 ) Rheims & Jäger, 2022

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), Zootaxa 5135 (1), pp. 1-80 : 43-45

Meri formosus ( Banks, 1929) comb. nov.

Figs 150–161 , 316

Olios formosus Banks, 1929: 79 , plate 4, fig. 74 (female holotype from Barro Colorado Island [9.1636, ‑79.8378], Canal Zone, Panama Oeste, Panama, deposited in MCZ 21376, examined). Jäger, 2020: 81 (misplaced in Olios ).

Additional material examined. PANAMA: Colón: 1♀, Frijoles [9.1733, ‑79.7967], 25 January 1958, A.M. Chickering leg. ( MCZ 69147) ; Panama Oeste : 1♀, Canal Zone, Barro Colorado Island [9.1636, ‑79.8378], 3–20 April 1953, A.M. Nadler leg. ( AMNH) ; 1♀, same locality as previous specimen, 28 July 1936, A.M. Chickering leg. ( MCZ 69127) ; 1♀, same locality as previous specimen, 18 August 1939, A.M. Chickering leg. ( MCZ 69128) ; 1♀, same locality as previous specimen, 1–31 August 1950, A.M. Chickering leg. ( MCZ 69130) ; 1♀, same locality as previous specimen, 26 June 1929, A.M. Chickering leg. ( MCZ 69132) ; 1♀, same locality as previous specimen, 30 June 1936, A.M. Chickering leg. ( MCZ 69140) ; 1♀, Forest Preserve [9.1167, ‑79.7167], 28 February 1958, A.M. Chickering leg. ( MCZ 69139) ; 1♀, same locality as previous specimen, 25 July 1954, A.M. Chickering leg. ( MCZ 69143) ; Veraguas: 1♂, Farfan [7.6899, ‑81.2212], 9 January 1958, A.M. Chickering leg. ( MCZ 99615). COLOMBIA: Antioquia : 1♀, Rio Clara [5.5833, ‑75.8667], 27 July 1983, F. Coyle leg. ( AMNH) .

Diagnosis. Males of M. formosus resemble those of M. guri spec. nov. ( Figs 162–165 ) by the palp with RTA with rounded base and abruptly narrowed towards tip in retrolateral view. They are distinguished from the latter species by the tegulum not indented prolaterally and embolus with membranous region short, not surpassing half embolus length ( Figs 151, 153 ) (tegulum strongly indented prolaterally and embolus with membranous region long, surpassing half embolus length in M. guri spec. nov.). Females are distinguished from all congeners by the epigyne with MS roughly trapezoid, slightly longer than wide, with EP rectangular, wider than long, opening slightly anterior to posterior margin of MS ( Fig. 154 ) and vulva with GP more than three times longer than wide and SP with constrictions ( Fig. 155 ).

Description. Male (MCZ 99615): Total length 11.0. Prosoma 5.1 long, 4.7 wide. Opisthosoma 5.5 long, 3.2 wide. Eyes: diameters 0.37, 0.32, 0.25, 0.32; interdistances: 0.30, 0.15, 0.45, 0.32, 0.30, 0.22. Legs: I: 27.9 (7.6, 2.9, 7.7, 7.8, 1.9); II: 30.3 (8.3, 2.8, 8.6, 8.5, 2.1); III: 19.6 (6.0, 2.0, 5.1, 5.0, 1.5); IV: 22.7 (6.7, 2.0, 6.0, 6.3, 1.7). Spination follows the generic pattern. Palp: PTA triangular, wider than long; cymbium with small retro proximal projection; subtegulum not visible in ventral view; tegulum slightly protruding over conductor base; conductor, widest at base, distally fanned; embolus with large membranous region bearing long needle-like projections, subdistally curved ( Figs 150–153 , 157–159 ).

Redescription. Female (AMNH): Total length 13.5. Prosoma 6.0 long, 5.8 wide. Opisthosoma 7.4 long, 4.8 wide. Eyes: diameters: 0.44, 0.38, 0.28, 0.36; interdistances: 0.36, 0.26, 0.68, 0.70, 0.30, 0.30. Legs: I: 24.6 (7.0, 2.7, 6.5, 6.5, 1.9); II: 30.5 (8.4, 3.4, 8.3, 8.2, 2.2); III: 21.6 (6.4, 2.7, 5.5, 5.3, 1.7); IV: 23.9 (7.2, 2.6, 6.0, 6.3, 1.8). Epigyne: EF longer than wide; MAB short, slightly conspicuous; HP rectangular, three times wider than long; LL touching posteriorly ( Figs 154 , 160 ). Vulva: internal ducts with FW mediad; GP arising from ducts at first turn; SP elongate; FD antero-laterad ( Figs 149–150, 155 ).

Variation. Females (n = 10): total length 14.0–17.5; prosoma length 5.2–6.7; femur I length 7.1–8.3.

Distribution. Known from central Panama to western Colombia ( Fig. 316 )

Figures

FIGURES 150–156. Meri formosus (Banks) comb. nov. 150–153 Male (MCZ 99615), left palp (150 prolateral, 151 ventral, 152 retrolateral, 153 detail of embolus); 154–156 Female (AMNH) (154 epigyne, 155 vulva, 156 schematic course of internal duct system). C—conductor; E—embolus; EP—epigynal pocket; ft—first turn of duct system; FD—fertilization duct; GP— glandular projection; LL—lateral lobe; MAB—muscle attachment bands; MS—median septum; mr—membranous region; PTA—prolateral tibial apophysis; RdP—retro dorsal tibial projection; RTA—retrolateral tibial apophysis; SP—spermathecae; tp–tegular protrusion. Scale lines: 1 mm.

FIGURES 157–161. Meri formosus (Banks) comb. nov. 157–159 Male (MCZ 99615), left palp (157 prolateral, 158 ventral, 159 retrolateral); 160–161 Female (AMNH) (160 epigyne, 161 vulva). Scale lines: 1 mm.

FIGURES 315–318. Distribution maps for species of Meri gen. nov. 315 (M. martinique spec. nov., M. sanctivincenti (Simon) comb. nov., M. trinitatis (Strand) comb. nov., M. carabobo spec. nov., M. kaieteur spec. nov.); 316 (M. jaraua spec. nov., M. arraijan spec. nov., M. formosus (Banks) comb. nov., M. guri spec. nov., M. tumatumari spec. nov.); 317 (M. zeteki spec. nov., M. manaos spec. nov., M. yaciba spec. nov., M. tapirapeco spec. nov., M. abuna spec. nov.); 318 (M. mathani (Simon) comb. nov., M. pictitarsis (Simon) comb. nov., M. conduri spec. nov., M. paiaia spec. nov., M. tambor spec. nov.);

FIGURES 162–165. Meri guri spec. nov., male (AMNH), left palp (162 prolateral, 163 ventral, 164 retrolateral, 165 detail of embolus). C—conductor; E—embolus; mr—membranous region; PTA—prolateral tibial projection; RpP—retro proximal projection; RTA—retrolateral tibial projection; ST—subtegulum. Scale lines: 1 mm.

FIGURES 145–149. Meri conduri spec. nov. 145–147 Male (MZSP 40750, holotype), left palp (145 prolateral, 146 ventral, 147 retrolateral); 148–149 Female (IBSP 7368) (148 epigyne, 149 vulva). Scale lines: 1 mm.