Meta tibet, Wang & Irfan & Chen & Zhang, 2022

Wang, Lu-Yu, Irfan, Muhammad, Chen, Hui-Ming & Zhang, Zhi-Sheng, 2022, Seven new species of Meta C. L. Koch, 1836 (Araneae, Tetragnathidae) from Southwest China, European Journal of Taxonomy 834, pp. 117-147 : 134-138

Meta tibet sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:BD6EDAAA-FAF4-4420-990A-6F7BA3B68EFD

Figs 1H–I , 13–15 , 22

Differential diagnosis

The male of this new species resembles M. bowo sp. nov. ( Figs 2–4 ) and M. cona sp. nov. ( Figs 5–7 ), in having the similar abruptly thin embolus and conductor of male palp, but can be distinguished from both species by the following characters: cymbial ectobasal process V-shaped and distal end of metaine embolic apophysis oval in M. tibet sp. nov. ( Figs 13B–C , 14B–D ). The female of M. tibet sp. nov. can be distinguished from all other congeners by the spermathecae globular, situated anteriorly ( Figs 13D–E , 15A–B ).

Etymology

The epithet refers to the type locality.

Type material

Holotype CHINA • ♂; Tibet, Gyirong County, Gyirong Town , near Kaire waterfall; 28°29′2.68″ N, 85°13′25.45″ E; alt. 3143 m; 1 Aug. 2020; L.Y. Wang, T. Yuan, P. Liu and Y.M. Hou leg.; SWUC-T-TEg-06-01 . Paratypes CHINA • 3 ♂♂; same collection data as for holotype; SWUC-T-TEg-06-02–04 • 5 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; SWUC-T-TEg-06-05–09 • 1 ♂; Gyirong County, Gyirong Town , Riwubanba; 28°28.317′ N, 85°13.735′ E; alt. 3233 m; 15 Jul. 2018; L.Y. Wang, Z.S. Wu and Y.N. Mu leg.; SWUC- T-TEg-06-10 .

Description

Male (holotype, Fig. 1H )

MEASUREMENTS. Total length 9.32. Prosoma 4.18 long, 3.42 wide; opisthosoma 5.50 long, 3.43 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.21, ALE 0.23, PME 0.26, PLE 0.23; AME–AME 0.18, AME– ALE 0.29, PME–PME 0.19, PME–PLE 0.29, ALE–PLE 0.07. MOA 0.70 long, front width 0.65, back width 0.69. Clypeus height 0.29.

CHELICERAE. Strong, with 3 promarginal and 4 retromarginal teeth.

LEG MEASUREMENTS. I = 28.68 (7.07, 9.69, 8.69, 3.23); II = 21.24 (5.53, 7.63, 5.79, 2.29); III = 12.45 (3.78, 4.09, 3.10, 1.48); IV = 16.59 (5.18, 5.46, 4.38, 1.57). Leg formula: 1243.

OPISTHOSOMA. Oval, with two pairs of sigillae. Both dorsum and venter brown, with white and black markings.

PALP ( Figs 13A–B , 14A–E ). Cymbial ectobasal process simple, V-shaped with sharp tooth and pointed end. Paracymbium finger-like, narrow towards tip, with sparse long hairs. Metaine embolic apophysis with distal end oval, extending forward.

EMBOLUS. Short, abruptly thin with fine tip. Conductor strong, arc-shaped, arising meso-retrolaterally from bulb and extending clockwise, longer than wide, with membranous end.

Female (paratype SWUC-T-TEg-06-05, Fig. 1I )

MEASUREMENTS. Total length 10.05. Prosoma 4.48 long, 3.41 wide; opisthosoma 5.50 long, 4.28 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.23, ALE 0.26, PME 0.25, PLE 0.24; AME–AME 0.19, AME– ALE 0.30, PME–PME 0.19, PME–PLE 0.34, ALE–PLE 0.07. MOA 0.72 long, front width 0.65, back width 0.71. Clypeus height 0.35.

LEG MEASUREMENTS. I = 21.78 (5.78, 7.67, 5.94, 2.39); II = 16.88 (4.76, 5.71, 4.52, 1.89); III = 10.41 (3.22, 3.38, 2.55, 1.26); IV = 14.03 (4.32, 4.69, 3.73, 1.29). Leg formula: 1243. Other morphological characteristics same as in male.

EPIGYNE ( Figs 13D–E , 15A–B ). Posterior margin of epigynal plate with inconspicuous sclerotized depression.

VULVA. Spermathecae globular, situated anteriorly. Fertilization ducts thick, S-shaped.

Distribution

China, Tibet (Gyirong) ( Fig. 22 ).

Figures

Fig. 1. A. Meta bowo sp. nov., ♂, holotype (SWUC-T-TEg-02-01), habitus, dorsal view. B. Meta bowo sp. nov., ♀, paratype (SWUC-T-TEg-02-06), habitus, dorsal view. C. Meta cona sp. nov., ♂, holotype (SWUC-T-TEg-03-01), habitus, dorsal view. D. Meta cona sp. nov., ♀, paratype (SWUC-T-TEg-03-02), habitus, dorsal view. E. Meta gyirong sp. nov., ♂, holotype (SWUC-T-TEg-04-01), habitus, dorsal view. F. Meta hongyuan sp. nov., ♂, holotype (SWUC-T-TEg-05-01), habitus, dorsal view. G. Meta hongyuan sp. nov., ♀, paratype (SWUC-T-TEg-05-03), habitus, dorsal view. H. Meta tibet sp. nov., ♂, holotype (SWUC-T-TEg-06-01), habitus, dorsal view. I. Meta tibet sp. nov., ♀, paratype (SWUC-T-TEg-06-05), habitus, dorsal view. J. Meta wanglang sp. nov., ♂, holotype (SWUC-T-TEg-07-01), habitus, dorsal view. K. Meta wanglang sp. nov., ♀, paratype (SWUC-T-TEg-07-03), habitus, dorsal view. L. Meta weining sp. nov., ♂, holotype (SWUC-T-TEg-08-01), habitus, dorsal view. M. Meta weining sp. nov., ♀, paratype (SWUC-T-TEg-08-03), habitus, dorsal view.

Fig. 13. Meta tibet sp. nov. A–C. ♂, holotype (SWUC-T-TEg-06-01). D–E. ♀, paratype (SWUC-T- TEg-06-05). A. Left palp, prolateral view.B. Same, ventral view.C. Same, retrolateral view.D. Epigyne, ventral view. E. Vulva, dorsal view.

Fig. 14. Meta tibet sp. nov. A–D. ♂, holotype (SWUC-T-TEg-06-01). E. ♂, paratype (SWUC-T- TEg-06-02). A. Left palp, prolateral view. B. Same, ventral view. C. Same, retrolateral view. D. Same, dorsal view. E. Embolus and metaine embolic apophysis, dorsal view.

Fig. 15. Meta tibet sp. nov., ♀, paratype (SWUC-T-TEg-06-05). A. Epigyne, ventral view. B. Vulva, dorsal view.

Fig. 22. Distribution records of seven new species of the genus Meta C.L. Koch, 1836 in Southwest China.

Fig. 2. Meta bowo sp. nov. A–C. ♂, holotype (SWUC-T-TEg-02-01). D–E. ♀, paratype (SWUC-T- TEg-02-06). A. Left palp, prolateral view.B. Same, ventral view.C. Same, retrolateral view.D. Epigyne, ventral view. E. Vulva, dorsal view.

Fig. 3. Meta bowo sp. nov. A–D. ♂, holotype (SWUC-T-TEg-02-01). E. ♂, paratype (SWUC-T- TEg-02-02). A. Left palp, prolateral view. B. Same, ventral view. C. Same, retrolateral view. D. Same, dorsal view. E. Embolus and metaine embolic apophysis, dorsal view.

Fig. 4. Meta bowo sp. nov., ♀, paratype (SWUC-T-TEg-02-06). A. Epigyne, ventral view. B. Vulva, dorsal view.

Fig. 5. Meta cona sp. nov. A–C. ♂, holotype (SWUC-T-TEg-03-01). D–E. ♀, paratype (SWUC-T- TEg-03-02). A. Left palp, prolateral view.B. Same, ventral view.C. Same, retrolateral view.D. Epigyne, ventral view. E. Vulva, dorsal view. A–B. Red arrow indicating the lower outgrowth of metaine embolic apophysis.

Fig. 6. Meta cona sp. nov., ♂, holotype (SWUC-T-TEg-03-01). A. Left palp, prolateral view. B. Same, ventral view. C. Same, retrolateral view. D. Same, dorsal view. E. Right palp, Embolus and metaine embolic apophysis, dorsal view. A, C. White arrow indicating the lower outgrowth of metaine embolic apophysis.

Fig. 7. Meta cona sp. nov., ♀, paratype (SWUC-T-TEg-03-02). A. Epigyne, ventral view. B. Vulva, dorsal view.