Meriola balcarce Platnick & Ewing

González, María E., Grismado, Cristian J. & Ramírez, Martín J., 2021, A Taxonomic Revision Of The Spider Genus Meriola Banks (Araneae: Trachelidae), Zootaxa 4936 (1), pp. 1-113 : 18-20

Meriola balcarce Platnick & Ewing

Figs 13–15 , 91

Meriola balcarce Platnick & Ewing, 1995: 27 , figs 107–109 (male holotype from Argentina, Buenos Aires, Sierra La Vigilancia , 20 km E Balcarce, 16.IV.1983, E. Maury, deposited in MACN, examined).

Diagnosis. Males ( Figs 14 , 15 c–f) resemble those of M. avalosi sp. nov. and M. fasciata by the elongate body, and by the opisthosoma with a chevron pattern and a dorsal posterior sclerotized area, but can be distinguished by the shorter, straight RTA, the slender embolus and conical distal bulb projection, and by the presence of a distal spine on the prolateral side of the femur II. Females ( Figs 13 , 15 a–b) resemble those of M. avalosi sp. nov. by the relatively elongated bodies, chevron pattern on the abdomen, the wide anterior epigynal hood and the internal genitalia, but differ by the narrower hood and the short copulatory ducts. Additionally, females differ by having dense ventral scopulae on the distal segments of the anterior legs, and a distinct preening comb on metatarsus III and IV.

Description: Female (MACN-Ar 33021): Carapace length 1.48, width 1.18, narrowed in eye region. Carapace covered with low tubercles. Palpal tarsus length 0.33. Sternum length 0.92, width 0.90. Length of tibia/metatarsus: I, 1.10/0.83; II, 0.87/0.70; III, 0.67/0.63; IV, 1.17/1.17. Spines: Leg I, femur p 1ap. Leg cuspules absent. Distal segments of leg I and II with strong scopulae, metatarsi of legs III and IV with distinct preening comb. Opisthosoma length 2.60. Color in ethanol: Prosoma brownish-orange, lighter distally. Chelicerae brownish-orange. Legs yellowish-orange, tibiae and patellae of leg I darker. Sternum brownish-orange, lighter distally. Opisthosoma grayishbrown, with chevrons. Venter grayish, with pair of longitudinal dark stripes. Epigyne ( Fig. 15 a–b): single plate with wide anterior hood. Copulatory openings in posterior position; copulatory ducts very short, S2 elongated, widened anteriorly, receptacle of copulatory ducts small and rounded, posterior to primary spermathecae. Primary spermathecae small and oval, half the size of CDR.

Male described by Platnick & Ewing (1995).

Natural history and habitat. The specimens from Tandil were collected with pitfall traps, placed on sites in rocky hillsides (323–460 m), with grasses of different heights.

Distribution. Only known from hills in Balcarce and Tandil in Buenos Aires province ( Fig. 91 ).

Other material examined. ARGENTINA: Buenos Aires: Tandil: Reserva Natural Sierra del Tigre , S 37.379444°, W 59.128889°, VIII.2012, pitfall traps, N. Ferretti, 1 female, 2 males, temporary preparations MGM- 00326–00328 ( MACN-Ar 33021 ) . Sierra La Vigilancia , 20 Km E. Balcarce, S 37.906395°, W 58.092681°, 16.IV.1983, E. Maury, 1 male ( MACN-Ar 9404 ) .

Figures

FIGURE 13. Meriola balcarce Platnick & Ewing. a, female habitus, dorsal view (MACN-Ar 33021); b, same, ventral view; c, same, lateral view; d, prosoma, dorsal view; e, same, ventral view; f, same, lateral view; g, habitus, anterior view. h, male habitus, anterior view (MACN-Ar 33021).

FIGURE 14. Meriola balcarce, male (MACN-Ar 33021). a, habitus, dorsal view; b, same, ventral view; c, same, lateral view; d, prosoma, dorsal view; e, same, ventral view; f, same, lateral view.

FIGURE 15. Meriola balcarce, genitalia. a, Female epigyne, ventral view (MACN-Ar 33021); b, vulva, cleared, dorsal view. c, male, left palp, prolateral view (MACN-Ar 33021); d, same, ventral view; e, same, retrolateral view.

FIGURE 91. Known distribution of Meriola avalosi sp. nov., M. balcarce and M. fasciata in South America.