Revalidation of the genus Sadala Simon, 1880 with the description of a new genus of Neotropical huntsman spiders (Araneae, Sparassidae)

Author(s)

Rheims, Cristina A. ; Jaeger, Peter

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Zootaxa; v. 5135, n. 1, p. 80-pg., 2022-05-13.

Abstract

The genus Sadala Simon, 1880 is revalidated to include the here designated type species, S. keyserlingi Simon, 1880, as well as S. nigristernis Simon, 1880, S. punicea Simon, 1880, S. rufa (Keyserling, 1880) and S. velox Simon, 1880, all comb. rest. The males of S. punicea and S. rufa and four new species are described: S. kaiabi spec. nov. (male female), from Brazil, S. nanay spec. nov. (female) and S. yuyapichis spec. nov. (male) from Peru, and S. tabatinga spec. nov. (female) from Brazil and Colombia. The genus Meri gen. nov. is described to include the type species, M. pictitarsis (Simon, 1880), as well as M. mathani (Simon, 1880), M. formosus (Banks, 1929), M. santivincenti (Simon, 1898), and M. trinitatis (Strand, 1916), all comb. nov. transferred here from the genus Olios Walckenaer, 1837. The male of M. trinitatis comb. nov. and twenty new species are described: M. abuna spec. nov. (male female), from Ecuador, Brazil and Peru; M. aparia spec. nov. (female), from Peru, M. arraijan spec. nov. (female) from Panama and Colombia; M. carabobo spec. nov. (male female), M. guri spec. nov. (male), M. yaciba spec. nov. (male female), from Venezuela; M. conduri spec. nov. (male female), M. manaos spec. nov. (male), M. munduruku spec. nov. (female), M. paiaia spec. nov. (female), M. quinari spec. nov. (male), M. rivai spec. nov. (female), M. tambor spec. nov. (male), M. tapirapeco spec. nov. (female), from Brazil; M. jaraua spec. nov. (male female), from Venezuela, French Guiana, Surinam, Ecuador, Peru and Brazil; M. kaieteur spec. nov. (female) from Venezuela and Guyana; M. martinique spec. nov. (female), from Martinique, Guadelupe and Dominica; M. tumatumari spec. nov. (female) from Guyana, M. vanini spec. nov. from Brazil and Peru; and M. zeteki spec. nov. (female) from Panama. Olios orchiticus Mello-Leitao, 1930 is considered a junior synonym of M. trinitatis comb. nov. Both genera and species are described and illustrated. Identification keys and updated distribution maps are provided. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 02/11277-9 - Cladistic analysis of the genuses of Sparassidae Bertkau (Arachnida, Araneae) with emphasis on neotropical genuses
• Grantee: Cristina Anne Rheims
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• FAPESP's process: 11/18694-3 - Systematics of the family Sparassidae (Arachnida, Araneae) in the Neotropical Region
• Grantee: Cristina Anne Rheims
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants