Meri trinitatis ( Strand, 1916 ) 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 : 65-69

Meri trinitatis ( Strand, 1916) comb. nov.

Figs 265–279 , 315

Olios trinitatis Strand, 1916: 126 (female holotype from Trinidad [10.2500, ‑59.2500], 1888, G. Gerold, deposited in SMF 4696, examined). Jäger 2020: 81 (misplaced in Olios ).

Olios quinquelineatus Tackzanowski, 1872 . Caporiacco 1948: 686 (misidentification).

Olios orchiticus Mello‑Leitão, 1930: 67 , figs 30–30 (Female holotype from Rio Cuminá, Oriximiná [‑1.7634, ‑55.8620], Pará, Brazil, no date, G. Cruls leg. deposited in MNRJ 105, examined, destroyed in fire). Jäger 2020: 81 (misplaced in Olios ) syn. n.

Additional material examined. TRINIDAD & TOBAGO: Arima: 2♂, Arima, St. George, Asa Wright Nature Center [10.7179, ‑61.2982], 13 July 1979, L.N. Sorkin leg. ( AMNH) ; 1 ♂, 1 juv., same locality as previous specimen, 20 April 1964, no leg. ( MCZ 69693) ; 1♀, Arima, Arima road to Blanchisseuse (10.7061, ‑61.2914), 29 June 1999, R. Pinto da Rocha leg. ( MZSP 21533 ) ; 1♀, Arima road, gap in Blanchisseusse [10.6374, ‑61.2823], 29 December 1954, A.M. Nadler leg. ( AMNH) ; 1♂, St. George, Spring Hill [10.6374, ‑61.2823], 12 July 1979, L.N. Sorkin leg. ( AMNH) ; 1♂, Arima [10.6374, ‑61.2823], 10–22 February 1924, R. Wygodzynski leg. ( AMNH) ; Tunapuna / Piarco: 1♀, Maracas, Maracas Valley [10.7106, ‑61.4196], February 1972, J.A.L. Cooke leg. ( AMNH) . VENEZUELA: Miranda: 1♂, Guatopo National Park , 28 km N Altagracia [10. 4000, ‑66.4167], 14 June–5 July 1987, S. & J. Peck leg. ( AMNH) ; Monagas: 1♀, Caripito [10.1103, ‑63.0963], 15–31 March, 1942, W.M. Beebe leg. ( AMNH) . GUYANA: 1♂, 2♀, Parish (?), 1913, no leg. ( AMNH) ; Cuyuni-Mazaruni: 4♀, Kartabo [6.0000, ‑58.0000], 1924, no leg. ( AMNH) ; 1♀, same locality as previous specimen, 1921, W.M. Beebe leg. ( AMNH) ; 1♀, same locality as previous specimen, 3–12 July 1982, K. & B. Schmidt leg. ( AMNH) ; 1♀, Kamakusa [5.9500, ‑59.9000], 4 November 1929, H. Lang & La Varre leg. ( AMNH) . SURINAME: Marowijne: 1♂, 3juvs., Langamankondre [5.7022, ‑54.0152], 15–30 August 1965, B. Malkin leg. ( AMNH) . FRENCH GUYANA: Kourou 1♀, Kourou , Piste de Compagnons [5.1167, ‑52.7000], no date, V. Vedel leg. ( MNHN) . BRAZIL: Roraima: 1♂, Amajari, Estação Ecológica de Maracá, Furo Santa Rosa [2.0000, ‑50. 4167], 26 March 1987, no leg. ( IBSP 151487 ) ; Amazonas: 1♀, Presidente Figueiredo, Usina Hidrelétrica de Balbina [‑1.9000, ‑59.4667], 1987–1988, Equipe Butantan leg. ( IBSP 271303 ) .

Note. Taczanowski (1872) described Olios quinquelineatus from Cayenne, French Guyana from an immature specimen. Caporiacco (1948) assigned several specimens collected in Guyana to this species and based on these, redescribed the male and newly described the corresponding females. Although this material was not examined, the figures of male RTA and female epigyne provided by Caporiacco (1948: 103–104) clearly show they are conspecific with M. trinitatis comb. nov. and were misidentified by the author. Olios quinquelineatus was later considered nomen dubium by Jäger (2020: 78) based on the lack of adult specimens and the poor description provided by Tackzanowski.

Diagnosis. Males of M. trinitatis comb. nov. resemble those of M. pictitarsis comb. nov. ( Figs 221–224 ) by the palp with embolus bearing a long laminar subdistal projection. They are distinguished from the latter species by the RTA abruptly narrowed medially towards tip ( Fig. 267 ) embolus not bulging prolaterally at base with subdistal projection laterad ( Fig. 266 ) (RTA not abruptly narrowed, with ventral branch and embolus with prolateral bulge at base and subdistal projection mediad in M. pictitarsis comb. nov.). Females resemble those of M. martinique spec. nov. ( Figs 200–202 ) and M. tumatumari spec. nov. ( Figs 280–282 ) by the vulva with GP arising from ducts close to spermathecae, not at first turn. They are distinguished from both species by the MS with anterior margins bottlenecked ( Figs 269, 272 ), FW U-shaped and mediad and SP with strongly convoluted margins ( Figs 270–271, 274–274 ) (MS with anterior margins gently converging, SP margins with few grooves in the other species, FW not U-shaped, postero mediad in M. martinique spec. nov. and postero laterad in M. tumatumari spec. nov.)

Description. Male (IBSP 151487): Total length 14.8. Prosoma 6.2 long, 6.0 wide. Opisthosoma 8.1 long, 4.4 wide. Eyes: diameters: 0.46, 0.36, 0.27, 0.36; interdistances: 0.25, 0.12, 0.52, 0.50, 0.30, 0.15. Legs: I: 3308 (9.3, 3.2, 9.4, 9.7, 2.2); II: 35.8 (10.0, 3.3, 10.1, 10.0, 2.4); III: 25.4 (7.7, 2.9, 6.5, 6.5, 1.8); IV: 28.4 (8.5, 2.7, 7.5, 7.9, 2.1). Spination follows the generic pattern. Palp: PTA triangular, roughly 1.3 times wider than long; RTA medially bent at roughly 90° in retrolateral view; cymbium with retroproximal projection; subtegulum barely visible between 9-9:30 o’clock; conductor widest at base; embolus slightly depressed prolaterally ( Figs 265–268 , 275–277 ).

Redescription. Female (MZSP 21533): Total length 15.7. Prosoma 6.2 long, 5.8 wide. Opisthosoma 9.1 long, 6.5 wide. Eyes: diameters: 0.45, 0.40, 0.30, 0.40; interdistances: 0.36, 0.22, 0.61, 0.66, 0.35, 0.30. Legs: I: 27.5 (8.1, 3.3, 7.1, 7.2, 1.8); II: 28.9 (8.3, 3.3, 7.6, 7.8, 1.9); III: 20.0 (6.0, 2.7, 5.0, 4.8, 1.5); IV: 22.7 (7.1, 2.4, 5.5, 6.0, 1.7). Spination follows the generic pattern. Epigyne: EF wider than long; MAB short, barely conspicuous, embedded into EF; MS hexagonal, as wide as long; EP triangular, at least 2 times longer than wide, opening at posterior margin of MS; LL touching posteriorly ( Figs 269 , 278 ). Vulva: internal ducts with FW dilated; GP elongate, three times longer than wide, mediad; FD anteriad to antero laterad ( Figs 270–271, 273–274 , 279 ).

Variation. Males (n = 8): total length 10.7–14.8; prosoma length 4.7–6.2; femur I length 8.2–9.3. Females (n = 10): total length 12.5–18.2; prosoma length 5.4–6.9; femur I length 6.1–8.1. Epigyne can have MS longer than wide, covering LL posteriory ( Fig. 272 ).

Distribution. Northern South America ( Trinidad & Tobago, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, Brazil) ( Fig. 315 ).

Figures

FIGURES 265–268. Meri trinitatis (Strand) comb. nov., male (AMNH), left palp (265 prolateral, 266 ventral, 267 retrolateral, 268 detail of embolus). C—conductor; E—embolus; PTA—prolateral tibial apophysis; RpP—retro proximal projection; RTA—retrolateral tibial apophysis; SdP—subdistal projection; ST—subtegulum. Scale lines: 1 mm.

FIGURES 269–274. Meri trinitatis (Strand) comb. nov., female 269–271 (AMNH) (269 epigyne, 270 vulva, 271 schematic course of internal duct system); 272–264 (MNRJ 105) (272 epigyne, 273 vulva, 274 schematic course of internal duct system). EP—epigynal pocket; FD—fertilization duct; ft—first turn of duct system; GP—glandular projection; LL—lateral lobe; MS— median septum; SP—spermathecae. Scale lines: 1 mm.

FIGURES 275–279. Meri trinitatis (Strand) comb. nov.275–277 Male (AMNH), left palp (275 prolateral, 276 ventral, 277 retrolateral); 278–279 Female (AMNH) (278 epigyne, 279 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 221–224. Meri pictitarsis (Simon) comb. nov., male (IBSP 20795), left palp (221 prolateral, 222 ventral, 223 retrolateral, 224 detail of embolus). C—conductor; E—embolus; mr—membranous region; PTA—prolateral tibial apophysis; RTA— retrolateral tibial apophysis; SdP—subdistal projection; tp—tegular protrusion; vb—ventral branch of RTA. Scale lines: 1 mm.

FIGURES 196–202. Meri martinique spec. nov. 196–199 male (IBSP 271305, holotype), left palp (196 prolateral, 197 ventral, 198 retrolateral, 199 detail of embolus); 200–202 Female (AMNH, paratype) (200 epigyne, 201 vulva, 202 schematic course of internal duct system). E—embolus; EP—epigynal pocket; ft—first turn of duct system; FD—fertilization duct; GP—glandular projection; LL—lateral lobe; mr—membranous region; MS—median septum; PTA—prolateral tibial projection; RpP—retro proximal projection; RTA—retrolateral tibial projection; SdP—subdistal projection; SP—spermathecae; ST—subtegulum. Scale lines: 1 mm.

FIGURES 280–282. Meri tumatumari spec. nov., female (AMNH, holotype) (280 epigyne, 281 vulva, 282 schematic course of internal duct system). EP—epigynal pocket; FD—fertilization duct; ft—first turn of duct system; GP—glandular projection; LL—lateral lobe; MS—median septum; SP—spermathecae. Scale lines: 1 mm.