Meta hamata, Wang & Zhou & Irfan & Yang & Peng, 2020

Wang, Luyu, Zhou, Guchun, Irfan, Muhammad, Yang, Sufang & Peng, Xianjin, 2020, Five new species of Meta Koch, 1836 (Araneae: Tetragnathidae) from Gaoligong Mountains, China, European Journal of Taxonomy 624, pp. 1-25 : 2-7

Meta hamata sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:B853796A-C1A3-4D15-8D95-2DC4A6D1E564

Figs 1 A–B, 2–4

Differential diagnosis.

Meta hamata sp. nov. can be distinguished from the other Chinese Meta species by the strong, tongueshaped metaine embolic apophysis, the wide conductor of the male palp ( Figs 2 , 4 A–C) and the small spermathecae of the epigyne ( Figs 3B , 4E ). Meta hamata sp. nov. resembles M. yani sp. nov. ( Figs 10– 12 ), but can be distinguished from the latter by: metaine embolic apophysis tongue-shaped in ventral view in M. hamata sp. nov. ( Figs 2D , 4B ), but with a bifurcated tip in M. yani sp. nov. ( Figs 10D , 12B ); embolus hook-shaped in M. hamata sp. nov. ( Figs 2A , 4A ), spine-shaped in M. yani sp. nov. ( Figs 10A , 12A ); conductor shorter than embolus in prolateral view in M. hamata sp. nov. ( Figs 2A , 4A ), longer than embolus in M. yani sp. nov. ( Figs 10A , 12A ); cymbial ectobasal process without the spine-like apophysis found in that of M. yani in ventral view ( Figs 2D , 4B , 11D , 12B ); posterior margin of the epigynal plate almost round in M. hamata sp. nov. ( Figs 3B , 4E ), centrally incised in M. yani sp. nov. ( Figs 11B , 12E ).

Etymology

The specific name comes from the Latin adjective ‘ hamatus ’, meaning ‘hook-like’, referring to the shape of the embolus in the male palp.

Type material.

Holotype

CHINA • ♂, Yunnan Province, Fugong County, Lumadeng Township, Shibali forest station; 27°09′55″ N, 98°46′44″ E; alt. 2525 m; 1–7 May 2004; C. Griswold and D.H. Kavanaugh leg.; HNU-CGY25 .

Paratypes (16 ♂♂ and 26 ♀♀)

CHINA – Yunnan Province – Fugong County • 6 ♂♂, 6 ♀♀; same collection data as for holotype; HNU-CGY25 • 1 ♂, 2 ♀♀; Lumadeng Township, Yaping Village, 2 km up Shibali; 27°09′46″ N, 98°47′24″ E; alt. 2730 m; 1 May 2004; G.X. Peng leg.; HNU-20040501-2 • 1 ♂; 2 km down Shibali; 27°09′46″ N, 98°47′24″ E; alt. 2420 m; 2 May 2004; G.X. Peng leg.; HNU-20040502 • 2 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀; Lumadeng Township, Yaping Village, 3 km up Shibali; 27°10′39″ N, 98°45′18″ E; 2527 m; 4 May 2004; H.M. Yan and G.X. Peng leg.; HNU-20040504-2 • 1 ♂, 5 ♀♀; Lumadeng Township, Yaping Village, 7.2 km up of Shibali; 27°10′47″ N, 98°43′35″ E; alt. 3059 m; 4 May 2004; H.M. Yan and G.X. Peng leg.; HNU-20040504-3 • 1 ♀; Lumadeng Township, Yaping Village ; 27°10′39″ N, 98°45′18″ E; alt. 2550 m; 5 May 2004; H.M. Yan leg.; HNU-20040505 • 3 ♂♂, 1 ♀; Lumadeng Township, 2 km Yaping to Fugong; 27°10′39″ N, 98°45′18″ E; alt. 2500 m; 7 May 2004; H.M. Yan leg.; HNU-20040507-1 • 1 ♀; Lumadeng Township, Yaping Village ; 27°08′42″ N, 98°48′52″ E; alt. 2530 m; 7 May 2004; H.M. Yan leg.; HNU-20040507-2 • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; Lumadeng Township, near Shibali forest station; 27°10′08″ N, 98°46′19″ E; alt. 2650 m; 9 May 2004; Charles Griswold and H.M. Yan leg.; HNU-CGY41 • 1 ♂, 6 ♀♀; Shiyueliang Township, Lishadi ; 27°06′19″ N, 98°46′47″ E; alt. 2530 m; 4–10 Aug. 2005; G. Tang leg.; HNU-Tang-05-02 . – Gongshan County • 1 ♀; Qiqi Yakou ; 27°41′48″ N, 98°27′15″ E; alt. 3675 m; 27 Sep. 2007; X.J. Peng leg.; HNU-20070927 .

Description

Male (holotype)

MEASUREMENTS. Total length 4.06. Prosoma 2.13 long, 1.66 wide; opisthosoma 2.29 long, 1.53 wide. Prosoma brown, with longitudinal dark brown band. Cervical grooves distinct, radial furrows indistinct ( Fig. 1A ). Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.14, ALE 0.16, PME 0.17, PLE 0.15; AME–AME 0.09, AME–ALE 0.11, PME–PME 0.08, PME–PLE 0.14, ALE–PLE 0.03. MOA anterior width 0.37, posterior width 0.41, length 0.42. Clypeus 0.10 high.

CHELICERAE. Strong, brown, with three promarginal and four retromarginal teeth.

GNATHOCOXAE. Dark brown, longer than wide.

LABIUM. Dark brown, as long as wide.

STERNUM. Dark brown, scutellate, with sparse dark brown hairs.

LEGS. Brown, with annuli. Length of legs: I, 11.05 (3.05, 3.83, 2.95, 1.22); II, 8.38 (2.46, 2.91, 2.10, 0.91); III, 4.47 (1.42, 1.36, 1.13, 0.56); IV, 6.05 (1.96, 1.88, 1.52, 0.69). Leg formula: 1243.

OPISTHOSOMA. Oval, with two pairs of sigillae. Both dorsum and venter yellowish brown, with black markings ( Fig. 1A ).

PALP ( Figs 2 , 4 A–C). Cymbial ectobasal process simple, with two rounded ends in retrolateral view. Paracymbium finger-like, widest medially, with sparse long brown hairs. Metaine embolic apophysis tongue-shaped, extending forward.

EMBOLUS. Long, with hook-shaped tip. Conductor strong, arising meso-retrolaterally from bulb and extending clockwise, widest medially, with membranous end.

Female (CGY25, Fig. 1B )

MEASUREMENTS. Total length 4.55. Prosoma 2.04 long, 1.62 wide; opisthosoma 2.81 long, 2.32 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.13, ALE 0.15, PME 0.16, PLE 0.14; AME–AME 0.11, AME–ALE 0.13, PME–PME 0.09, PME–PLE 0.16, ALE–PLE 0.03. MOA anterior width 0.35, posterior width 0.40, length 0.42. Clypeus 0.08 high.

LEGS. Length of legs: I, 8.67 (2.45, 3.06, 2.08, 1.08); II, 6.78 (2.01, 2.34, 1.57, 0.86); III, 3.83 (1.19, 1.21, 0.87, 0.56); IV, 5.20 (1.66, 1.70, 1.23, 0.61). Leg formula: 1243. Other morphological characteristics same as in male.

EPIGYNE ( Figs 3 , 4 D–E). Posterior margin of epigynal plate round, looks like smiling face in ventral view. Spermathecae small and like a boxing glove. Fertilization ducts thick, S-shaped.

Variation

The total length in male specimens examined ranges from 3.60 to 4.06, in female specimens from 4.26 to 4.90.

Distribution

China, Yunnan Province (Fugong, Gongshan) ( Fig. 16 ).

Figures

Fig. 1. Meta hamata sp. nov. (A–B), Meta longlingensis sp. nov. (I), Meta tangi sp. nov. (C–D), Meta yani sp. nov. (E–F), Meta yinae sp. nov. (G–H). A, C, E, G, I. Male holotype habitus, dorsal view. B, D, F, H. Female paratype habitus, dorsal view. Scale bars: 1 mm.

Fig. 2. Meta hamata sp. nov. Left palp, ♂, holotype (HNU-CGY25): A. Prolateral view. B. Retrolateral view. C. Dorsal view. D. Ventral view. Scale bars: A–D = 0.2 mm.

Fig. 4. Meta hamata sp. nov., left palp of holotype ♂ (A–C); epigyne (D) and vulva (E) of paratype ♀ (HNU-CGY25): A. Prolateral view. B. Ventral view. C. Retrolateral view. D. Epigyne, ventral view. E. Vulva, front view. Scale bars: 0.2 mm.

Fig. 3. Meta hamata sp. nov., paratype ♀ (HNU-CGY25). A. Epigyne, ventral view. B. Vulva, front view. Scale bars: 0,2 mm.

Fig. 10. Meta yanisp. nov. Left palp of holotype♂ (HNU-Yan021004). A. Prolateral view. B. Retrolateral view. C. Dorsal view. D. Ventral view. Scale bars: 0.2 mm.

Fig. 11. Meta yani sp. nov. Paratype ♀ (HNU-Yan021004). A. Epigyne, ventral view. B. Vulva, front view. Scale bars: 0.2 mm.

Fig. 12. Meta yani sp. nov. Left palp of holotype ♂ (A–C); epigyne (D) and vulva (E) of paratype ♀ (HNU-Yan021004). A. Prolateral view. B. Ventral view. C. Retrolateral view. D. Epigyne, ventral view. E. Vulva, front view. Scale bars: 0.2 mm.

Fig. 16. Distribution records of five new species of the genus Meta Koch, 1836 in Gaoligong Mountains, Yunnan, China.