Metellina haddadi, Marusik & Larsen, 2018

Marusik, Yu. M. & Larsen, N., 2018, A Synopsis Of African Metellina (Aranei, Tetragnathidae, Metainae) With Description Of A New Species From South Africa, Vestnik Zoologii (Vestn. Zool.) 52 (3), pp. 205-216 : 212-215

Metellina haddadi sp. n. ( figs 1–34 )

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:65B0A77E-FA5E-487D-96DB-C266EE3071C0 :

T y p e s: Holotype ♂ ( NCA) and paratypes 2 ♂, 3 ♀ ( NCA), 1 ♂, 4 ♀ ( SAMC) and 2 ♂, 2 ♀ 1 juv ( ZMMU), South Africa, Western Cape, Cape Town , foothills of the Table Mountain, Newlands Forest , 33°58’14.2” S, 18°26’59.2” E, 250 m, 4.01.2014 (Y. M. Marusik & N. Larsen).

Diagnosis. The males of this new species well differ from African congeners by having the cymbium as long as the palpal femur (shorter in other species) and the shape of paracymbium which has a bifid lateral process (Lp) (not bifid in other species). The epigyne of the new species resembles that of M. merianopsis by having a ventral projection of the median plate. The two species can be differentiated by the presence of the sclerotized plate (Sp) in front of the epigyne in the new species and lacking in M. merianopsis .

D e s c r i p t i o n. Male (holotype). Total length 7.90. Carapace 3.75 long, 2.50 wide. General appearance as in figs 1–2 , 32. Carapace light brown, with dark-brown broad median band and marginal stripes. Fovea deep, appears as inverted Y. Chelicera, endites and sternum brown. Chelicera with 3 pro- and 4 retromarginal teeth ( figs 20–22 ). Legs light brown, with dark round spots around spines on femora I–II, tibiae I–II with 4 dark annulations; tibiae III–IV with 2 dark annulations; coxa II with gray prolateral spot distally; coxa IV with grey hue basally, and coxa III. Abdomen twice as long as wide, background formed by white guanine spots, median dark band located in Fig. 32–33. Metellina haddadi sp. n. in natural anterior part, posterior 1/3 with series of dark habitats: 32 — male and female; 33 — resting female, showing ventral abdominal pattern. transverse stripes; venter with wide dark median band bordered by whitish stripes and a pair of round spots near spinnerets.

Leg segment lengths in male

Fe Pt Ti Mt Ta Total

Palp 1.07 0.4 0.5 1.07 3.13

I 8.0 2.0 8.8 8.5 2.2 29.5

II 7.0 1.8 7.0 7.6 1.7 25.1

III 3.7 1.1 2.7 3.3 1.1 11.9

IV 5.0 1.1 4.0 4.5 1.1 15.7

Spination of leg I: femur d1p4r7 to10; patella d1; tibia d1or 2 p3 r3; metatarsus d1p1r1. Metatarsi and partly tibiae I–II with strong, erect, inflexible setae.

Palp as in figs 5–15 , 23–28 . Femur as long as cymbium and slightly shorter than patella+tibia, tibia and cymbium and ventral part of paracymbium with long macrosetae. Cymbium long, more than3times longer than wide, paracymbium complex, with subconical, weakly sclerotized ventral part (Pv) covered with long setae and heavily sclerotized dorsolateral part (Pl), the latter with 2 processes: the bifid lateral process (Lp) and the dorsal process (Dp); the dorso-lateral part of the paracymbium and cymbium form a deep fovea (pocket) (Pf). The tegulum and sperm duct distinct, transverse; conductor (Co) wide at base, with parallel margins, tip (Ct) tapering, weakly sclerotized; embolic division with massive and complex base (Eb) comprising a main square part (Mp) with a deep cavity (Dc) and lamellate process (Ll) guiding the embolus (Em); embolus partly hidden by conductor.

Female (paratype). Total length 9.3. Carapace 3.75 long, 2.65 wide. Prosoma coloured as in male ( figs 4 , 32). Abdomen lighter than male, with more guanine spots, long, light median band, running all over dorsum, mid part with short, dark stripe; median band bordered with wide sublateral bands, mid part of bands lighter than anterior and posterior parts; sides of abdomen white with slanted dark band anteriorly and series of broken slanted stripes.

Leg segment lengths in female

Fe Pt Ti Mt Ta Total

Palp 1.1 0.4 08 1.25 3.55

I 5.6 1.75 5.7 5.9 1.6 20.55

II 4.5 1.5 4.05 4.5 1.25 15.8

III 2.7 1.0 1.85 2.15 0.85 8.55

IV 3.8 1.05 3.0 3.25 0.9 12.0

Spination of leg I: femur d2 p4 or 5 r5; patella d1; tibia d2 p3 r3; metatarsus d1 p1 r1. Metatarsi and partly tibiae I–II as in male with erect, inflexible setae, but shorter and less dense in comparison to males.

Epigyne as in figs 16–19 , 29–31 . Epigynal plate almost 3 times wider than long, median plate (Me) weakly sclerotized, slightly projected ventrally; anterior part of plate with distinct fovea (Af); in caudal view, median plate pentagonal, with pair of shallow pits (Pi). Small transverse rectangular sclerotized plate (Sp) located anterior to epigyne. Receptacles cylindrical, bent in mid part, basal part diverging, distal parts converging, distal part spaced by about 3.5 diameters.

V a r i a t i o n s. Body length in males varies from 6.5 to 7.4 and in females from 7.0 to 9.3.

Habitat. The species occur in large numbers in shaded places along mountain creeks with stony banks. During the daytime it is not easy to find specimens although webs are rather common. In the nighttime, spiders stay at the web hub and can be easily seen and collected.

D i s t r i b u t i o n. Known only from the type locality ( fig 34 ).

Etymolog y. The specific name is a patronym in honour of our friend and colleague Charles Haddad (Bloemfontein, South Africa) who helped to organize YM’s trip to South Africa.

Etymology. The specific name is a patronym in honour of our friend and colleague Charles Haddad (Bloemfontein, South Africa) who helped to organize YM’s trip to South Africa.

We thank Seppo Koponen, who arranged stay of the senior author at Turku and the work carried out at the Zoological Museum and Charles Haddad (University of the Free State, South Africa) for his help in arranging of senior author’s trip to South Africa. Special thanks to Ansie Dippenaar-Schoeman (NCA, South Africa) for valuable comments that improved our manuscript. English of the final manuscript was kindly checked by Sarah Crews (Californian Academy of Sciences, USA).

Figures

Fig. 1–4. Habitus of Metellina haddadi sp. n.: 1–2 — male, dorsal and lateral; 3–4 — female, lateral and dorsal.

Fig. 5–8. Male palp of Metellina haddadi sp. n.: 5 — whole palp showing comparative length of segments and length of setae; 6–8 — distal part, ventro-retrolateral, ventral-prolateral and prolateral. Scale bar 0.2 mm. Abbreviations: Co — conductor; Ct — tip of conductor; Dp — dorsal part of Pl; Eb — base of embolus; Em — embolus; Lp — lateral part of Pl; Pf — deep fovea of paracymbium; Pl — dorso-lateral branch of paracymbium; Pv — ventral branch of paracymbium.

Fig.9–16.Copulatory organs of Metellina haddadi sp. n.: 9–11 — bulb, prolateral; ventral and anterior; 12–13 — bulb, anterior-prolateral, different aspects; 14–15 — distal part of male palp, ventral and dorsal; 16 — epigyne, ventral. Scale 0.2 mm, if indicated.Abbreviations: Co — conductor; Ct — tip of conductor; Dc — deep cavity of Mp; Em — embolus; Ll — lamellate process of Eb; Mp — main part of Eb; Sp — transversal sclerotized plate.

Fig. 17–19. Epigyne of Metellina haddadi sp. n.: 17 — dorso-caudal; 18 — dorsal; 19 — ventral-caudal. Scale 0.2 mm. Abreviations: Sp — transversal sclerotized plate.

Fig. 20–24. Male chelicera and bulb of Metellina haddadi sp. n.: 20 —helicera, mesal; 21–22 — distal part of chelicera, mesal-posterior and mesal-anterior; 23–24 — bulb, retrolateral and anterior-retrolateral. Scale bar 0.1 mm. Abbreviations: Co — conductor; Ct — tip of conductor; Em — embolus; Ll — lamellate process of Eb; Mp — main part of embolic base.

Fig. 25–28. Male palp of Metellina haddadi sp. n.: 25, 27 — cymbium and paracymbium, anterior-prolateral and dorsal; 26 —paracymbium, anterior; 28 — bulb; anterior. Scale bar 0.1 mm. Abbreviations: Dp — dorsal part of Pl; Lp — lateral part of Pl; Pf — deep fovea of paracymbium; Pl — dorso-lateral branch of paracymbium; Pv — ventral branch of paracymbium.

Fig. 29–31. Epigyne of Metellina haddadi sp. n. ventro-caudal, central and caudal. Scale bar 1 mm. Abbreviations: Af — anterior fovea of epigynal plate; Me — median plate; Pi — shallow pit of Me; Sp — transversal sclerotized plate.

Fig.34.Typelocalities of speciesfrom Africaand adjacentislands nowconsidered inMetellinaor eitherdescribed or considered in Meta: 1 — Tetragnatha maculata; 2 — Metellina barreti; 3 — M. minima; 4 — M. villiersi; 5 — M. longipalpis; 6 — M. gertschi; 7 — “Meta” meruensis; 8 — Metellina merianopsis; 9 — M. haddadi sp. n., 10 — Tetragnatha vacillans.