Meri arraijan, 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 : 36-37

Meri arraijan spec. nov.

Figs 121–125, 316

Type material. Holotype: PANAMA: Panama Oeste : ♀, Arraiján [8.9519, ‑79.6601], no date, A.M. Chickering leg. ( MCZ 99616 ) . Paratype: PANAMA: 1♀, Finca San Jose , 8km SE Socorpa Mission, Sierra de Perija, 27–31 July 1968, B. Malkin leg. ( AMNH) .

Etymology. The specific name refers to the type locality of the holotype; noun in apposition.

Diagnosis. Females of M. arraijan spec. nov. resemble those of M. carabobo spec. nov. ( Figs 130–132) by the epigyne with EF bearing a long, transversal anterior groove and EP opening posteriorly on MS. They are distinguished from the latter species by the MS widest anteriorly and EP with anterior margin not surpassing half MS length ( Fig. 121) (MS widest medially and EP with anterior margin surpassing half MS length in M. carabobo spec. nov.).

Description. Female (holotype): Total length 11.2. Prosoma: 4.9 long, 4.8 wide. Opisthosoma: 6.0 long, 3.7 wide. Eyes: diameters: 0.36, 0.31, 0.24, 0.31; interdistances: 0.30, 0.21, 0.50, 0.57, 0.36, 0.22. Legs: I: 20.1 (5.8, 2.4, 5.1, 5.2, 1.6); II: 22.0 (6.4, 2.6, 5.7, 5.8, 1.5); III: 15.3 (4.7, 2.0, 3.7, 3.7, 1.2); IV: 16.9 (5.3, 1.9, 4.1, 4.2, 1.4). Spination follows the generic pattern. Epigyne: EF wider than long; MAB inconspicuous; MS hexagonal; EP triangular slightly longer than wide ( Figs 122, 124). Vulva: internal ducts with FW slender, not dilated, postero laterad; GP slightly longer than wide, antero mediad, arising from ducts at first turn; SP spherical; FD antero laterad ( Figs 122–123, 125).

Male. Unknown.

Variation. Females (n = 2): total length 11.2–12.8; prosoma length 4.9–5.4; femur I length 5.8–6.2. Coloration of paratype generally darker.

Distribution. Known from central Panama and northern Colombia ( Fig. 316).