Acta arachnol., 43 (1): 65-69, June 30, 1994 A New Species of the Spider Genus Meta C. L. KoCH, 1836 (Araneae: Tetragnathidae) from Japan Akio TANIKAWA'~ 谷 川 明男'): 日本産 ドヨウグモ属(ク モ目:ア シナガグモ科) の1新 種 Abstract A new species of the genus Meta is described from Japan under the name of Meta nigridorsalis. The spiders of the species can be easily distinguished from the other species of the genus by the shape of the copulatory organs of both sexes. In the summer of 1993, the arachnological research trip to Mie Prefecture was made jointly by Tokyo Spider Study Group, Mie Spider Study Group and Wakayama Spider Study Group. In the field research, Mr. Yoh IHARA discovered an interesting spider at Ido-cho Kumano-shi, Mie Prefecture on the 25th of July, 1993. Successively, Mr. Eiichi SHINKAI and I collected several specimens of the species in question from the same place. The spiders were hanging on the center of the horizontal orb-web made among the large rocks. Then, the spiders of the species were collected from Wakayama Prefecture by Mr. Kiyoto OGATA, from Hiroshima Prefecture by Mr. Yoh IHARA, and from Tottori Prefecture by Dr. Nobuo TSURUSAKI. After an examination of these materials, I came to the conclusion that the species is new to science. It will be described in this paper. The placement of the species is not so clear. By the shape of the abdomen and the general appearance of the male palpal organ, it resembles to the species of the genus Metellina. However, I placed it in the genus Meta based on the following features much important: chelicera with 4 teeth on the posterior margin; epigynum with openings on the posterior face; the male palp is rather sclerotized. All the type specimens designated in this paper are deposited in the collection of National Science Museum (Natural History), Tokyo. Before going further, I wish to express my hearty thanks to Dr. Hirotsugu ONO, National Science Museum (Natural History), Tokyo, for his constant guidance and revising the manuscript of this paper. My sincere thanks are also due to Mr. Yoh IHARA, Hiroshima, Mr. Eiichi SHINKAI, Tokyo, Mr. Kiyoto OGATA, Aichi, and Dr. Nobuo TSURUSAKI, Tottori University, for their offering various specimens used in this study. Following abbreviations are used in this paper : MOA, median ocular area; 1) Shichirigahama Senior High School, 2-3-1, Shichirigahama-higashi, Kamakura-shi, Kanagawa, 248 Japan ¶2482-3-1 Accepted June 10, 1994 66 A. TANIKAWA NSMT, National Science Museum (Natural History), Tokyo. Meta nigridorsalis sp. nov. (Figs. 1-10) Type series. Holotype : ~, Ido-cho, Kumano-shi, Mie Pref., 25-VII-1993, A. TANIKAWA leg. (NSMT-Ar 3130). Paratypes : 1 ~, same locality and date as for the holotype, Y. IHARA leg. (NSMT-Ar 3131); 1 ~, same locality, 24-VIII-1993, A. TANIKAWA leg. (NSMT-Ar 3132); ld, same locality, 24-VIII-1993 (subadult), 12-IX-1993 (adult after breeding), A. TANIKAWA leg. (NSMT-Ar 3133); l d', same locality, 24-VIII-1993 (subadult), 14-IX-1993 (adult after breeding), A. TANIKAWA leg. (NSMT-Ar 3134); 1 ~, Tokuo, Tottori-shi, Tottori Pref., 19-XI-1991, N. TSURUSAKI leg. (NSMT-Ar 3135); 1 ~, Buttsu ji, Mihara-shi, Hiroshima Pref., 3-X- 1993, Y. IHARA leg. (NSMT-Ar 3136). Other specimens examined. 1 ~, Ido-cho, Kumano-shi, Mie Pref., 25-VI1- 1993, A. TANIKAWA leg.; 1 ~, same locality and date, E. SHINKAI leg.; 5+~, same locality, 24-VIII-1993, A. TANIKAWA leg.; 1 ~, Misato-cho, Kaiso-gun, WAKAYAMA Pref., 21-VIII--1993, K. OGATA leg.; 16", same data (subadult), became adult after breeding (date unknown); 1 ~, Takamiya-cho, Takada-gun, Hiroshima Pref., 5-X- 1993, Y. IHARA leg. Description (based on the holotype and paratype Id' from Ido-cho, Kumano- shi, Mie Pref. ; variations are given in parentheses). Measurement (in mm). Body length 5.88 (5.00-6.60), d' 4.50 (4.50-4.95); carapace length 2.37 (2.28-2.63), d' 2.33 (2.26-2.34), width 1.83 (1.75-2.07), d' 1.83 (1.74-1.83); abdomen length 3.44 (2.69-3.92), d' 2.30 (2.30-2.66), width 2.84 (2.34-3.24), d' 1.68 (1.68- 2.06). Length of legs of the holotype and paratype 16" from Ido-cho, Kumano- shi, Mie Pref. as shown in Table 1. Female. Carapace length/width 1.30 (1.27-1.31); MOA length/width 1.27 (1.10-1.30), anterior width/posterior width 0.96 (0.96-1.04). Chelicera somewhat long (Fig. 3), with 3 promarginal and 4 retromarginal teeth. Labium length/ width 0.57 (0.57-0.70); sternum length/width 1.06 (1.03-1.11). Length of leg I/carapace 4.27 (4.21-4.34). Abdomen length/width 1.21 (1.14-1.23), with shallow lobes (Fig. 1). Epigynum as shown in Figs. 5-6. Male. Carapace length/width 1.27 (1.27-1.33); MOA length/width 1.28 (1.13- 1.28), anterior width/posterior width 1.00 (1.00-1.15). Chelicera somewhat long (Fig. 4), with 1 (1-3) promarginal and 4 retromarginal teeth. Labium length/width 0.68 (0.67-0.70); sternum length/width 1.06 (1.06-1.08). Length of leg I/carapace 4.77 (4.04-5.07). Male palp as shown in Figs. 8-10. Abdomen length/width 1.37 Table 1. Measurement of leg segments of Meta nigridorsalis sp. nov. (in mm; J~). New Species of the Genus Meta from Japan 67 Figs. 1-4. Meta nigridorsal is sp. nov 1. Female, dorsal view. 2. Male, dorsal view. 3. Chelicera of female, frontal l view. 4. Chelicera of male, frontal view. (Scales : 1 mm.) (1.29-1.37), with shallow lobes (Fig. 2). Coloration and markings. Female and male (Figs. 1-2) : Carapace brown, marginated with dark brown, with dark brown longitudinal median band. Legs brown, with dark brown annulation. Abdomen black, lighter in front, marginated 68 A. _TANIKAWA Figs. 5-10. Meta nigridorsalis sp. nov. 5. Epigynum, ventral view. 6. Same, caudal view. 7. Female genitalia, dorsal view. 8. Male palp, general view. 9. Same, ventral view. 10. Same, retrolateral view. (Scales : 0.2 mm.) New Species of the Genus Meta from Japan 69 with gray. Range. Japan (western part of Honshu). Remarks. This new species is easily distinguished from the other species of the genus Meta by the shape of the epigynum and the male palpal organ. Etymology. The specific name is derived from the color of the abdomen. 摘 要 日本産の ドヨウグモ属の1新 種を,Mθ1α 〃憩〃4bア301'5sp.nov.チ ビクロ ドヨウグモ(新 称)と 命名 して記載 した.本 種は,生 殖器官の形態によって,同 属の他種と容易に見分け ることができる. References BONNET, P., 1955-1956. Bibliographia Araneorum, 2(3), pp. 1927-3026. Toulouse. BRIGNOLI, P. M., 1983. A Catalogue of the Araneae Described between 1940 and 1981. 755 pp. Manchester University Press. LEVI, H. W., 1980. The orb-weaver genus Mecynogea, the subfamily Metinae and the genera Pacygnatha, Glenognatha and Azilia of the subfamily Tetragnathinae North of Mexico (Araneae: Araneidae). Bull. Mus. comp. Zool.,149: 1-74. MARUSIK, Y. M., & S. KOPONEN, 1992. A review of Meta (Araneae, Tetragnathidae), with descrip- tion of two new species. J. Arachnol., 20: 137-143. PLATNICK, N. I., 1989. Advances in Spider Taxonomy, 1981-1987. 673 pp. Manchester Uni- versity Press, Manchester and New York. - 1993. Advances in Spider Taxonomy, 1988-1991. 846 pp. The New York Entomolo- gical Society and The American Museum of Natural History, New York. ROEWER, C. F.,1942. Katalog der Araneae von 1758 bis 1940. Bd. 1. 1040 pp. Natura, Bremen. TANIKAWA, A., 1993. A new species of the genus Meta (Araneae: Tetragnathidae) from Japan. Acta arachnol., 42: 97-101. YAGINUMA, T., 1958. Revision of Japanese spiders of family Argiopidae (1). I Genus Meta and a new species. Acta arachnol.,15: 24-30.