Chrysometa minuta (Keyserling, 1883)

Nogueira, André A., Pena-Barbosa, João P. P., Venticinque, Eduardo M. & Brescovit, Antonio D., 2011, The spider genus Chrysometa (Araneae, Tetragnathidae) from the Pico da Neblina and Serra do Tapirapecó mountains (Amazonas, Brazil): new species, new records, diversity and distribution along two altitudinal gradients, Zootaxa 2772, pp. 33-51 : 45

Chrysometa minuta (Keyserling, 1883)

Figures 7C, D

Meta minuta Keyserling, 1883: 206 , pl. 15, fig. 100 (Holotype female from “Province Amazonas”, Brazil deposited in Hope Entomological Collection, Oxford, not examined).

Argyroepeira minuta: Keyserling, 1893: 321 , pl. 16, fig. 236.

Chrysometa minuta: Levi, 1986: 168 , figs. 435–440, Platnick, 2010.

Material examined. Brazil: Amazonas: Barcelos, Serra do Tapirapecó, (1°17'N, 64º39'W), 1 male and 4 females, X.2006, A.A. Nogueira & R. Braga-Neto coll. (INPA-AR 6181 (1 female), 6182 (1 male), 6183 (1 female), 6184 (1 male), 6185 (1 female); IBSP 160441 (1 female )); São Gabriel da Cachoeira, Pico da Neblina, (00°46'N 66º00'W), 4 females, X.2007, A.A. Nogueira et al. coll. (INPA-AR 6187 (1 female), 6188 (1 female), 6189 (1 female), 6190 (1 female )).

Diagnosis. Males of Chrysometa minuta are similar to C. cebolleta Levi, 1986 (figs. 547–551) by the “L”- shaped paracymbial apophysis on retrolateral view and a ventral pointed ecto-basal cymbial process, on ventral and retrolateral views. They differ from C. cebolleta males the cymbial apophysis folded ventrally on ventral view ( Fig. 7C ), and curved on retrolateral view ( Fig. 7D ). The lower prong of paracymbium has a basal hump ( Figs. 7C, D ), not observed on C. cebolleta .

Description. Male (INPA-AR 6182). Carapace, sternum, labium, endites and legs yellow. Chelicerae brown. Dorsum of abdomen grey, with some white spots and two sets of black transversal lines, with nine lines each one. Venter grey. Spinnerets grey. Total length 3.4; Carapace 1.6 long, 1.3 wide. Leg I length: femur 2.5; patella+tibia 2.7; metatarsus 2.4; tarsus 0.8. Patella+tibia II 2.1; III 0.9; IV 1. 5. Palp: paracymbium with external face covered with bristles; lower prong of paracymbium with a lateral groove ( Fig. 7D ).

Note. Males are matched to females collected in the same place based on similarities of size and body colour pattern. Seven females and four males were found in the same altitudes (400 and 800 m. a.s.l., Table 2) at the Tapirapecó, and in one case they were collected together, during a nocturnal sample.

Female. See Levi (1986: 168).

Figures

FIGURES 7 A – D. Chrysometa spp. AB. Chrysometa candianii n. sp. A. Male palp, ventral view. B. Same, retrolateral view. CD. Chrysometa minuta (Keyserling). C. Male palp, ventral view. D. Same, retrolateral view. Scale bars: AB, 0.5 mm; CD, 0. 5 mm.