Seven new species of Meta C. L. Koch, 1836 (Araneae, Tetragnathidae) from Southwest China Author Wang, Lu-Yu 6C219212-8F77-4037-949C-1F17B252BFCE Key Laboratory of Eco-environments in Three Gorges Reservoir Region (Ministry of Education), School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China. wangluyu1989@163.com Author Irfan, Muhammad 81552C4A-93FC-4B6E-8EA1-0B4E38CC6466 Key Laboratory of Eco-environments in Three Gorges Reservoir Region (Ministry of Education), School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China. irfanuos94@yahoo.com Author Chen, Hui-Ming 0B0FF1C7-C0A8-4836-B5D0-019F290EB663 Guizhou Institute of Biology, Guiyang 550009, China. mei0601@126.com;zhangzs327@qq.com Author Zhang, Zhi-Sheng 91F0C98D-A307-431A-BAAD-9691F014E6BA Key Laboratory of Eco-environments in Three Gorges Reservoir Region (Ministry of Education), School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China. mei0601@126.com;zhangzs327@qq.com text European Journal of Taxonomy 2022 2022-08-22 834 117 147 http://dx.doi.org/10.5852/ejt.2022.834.1905 journal article 128002 10.5852/ejt.2022.834.1905 4c24df32-5d1d-468e-a85a-e8c8ae263477 2118-9773 7017596 508297E3-787B-4B87-8C51-FCB35BB1D652 Meta weining sp. nov. urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: B4BF84EA-2EF2-4C71-9E5C-0024D0705A84 Figs 1L–M , 19–22 Fig. 19. Meta weining sp. nov. A–C . ♂, holotype (SWUC-T-TEg-08-01). D–E . ♀, paratype (SWUC-T- TEg-08-03). A . Left palp, prolateral view. B . Same, ventral view. C . Same, retrolateral view. D . Epigyne, ventral view. E . Vulva, dorsal view. Fig. 20. Meta weining sp. nov. , ♂, holotype (SWUC-T-TEg-08-01). A . Left palp, prolateral view. B . Same, ventral view. C . Same, retrolateral view. D . Same, dorsal view. Differential diagnosis This new species resembles M. tibet sp. nov. ( Figs 13–15 ) in having a similar embolus; V-shaped cymbial ectobasal process in male palp and epigynal plate posteriorly with small, sclerotized depression in female epigyne, but it can be differentiated by the embolus gradually narrow towards the tip in M. weining sp. nov. ( Figs 19B–C , 20B–D ), whereas abruptly narrow in M. tibet sp. nov. ( Figs 13A–B , 14A, C, E ). Metaine embolic apophysis longer than wide in ventral view in M. weining sp. nov. ( Figs 19B , 20C ), whereas wider than long in M. tibet sp. nov. ( Figs 13B , 14C ). Cymbial ectobasal process tooth present at the end of lateral arm in ventral view in M. weining sp. nov. ( Figs 19B , 20C ), whereas tooth present on the lateral arm in M. tibet sp. nov. ( Figs 13B , 14C ). Spermathecae semicircular and fertilization ducts move around the spermathecae from dorsal to the ventral side of epigyne in M. weining sp. nov. ( Figs 19E , 21B ), whereas spermathecae globular and fertilization ducts move around the spermathecae from ventral to the dorsal side of epigyne in M. tibet sp. nov. ( Figs 13E , 15B ). Fig. 21. Meta weining sp. nov. , ♀, paratype (SWUC-T-TEg-08-03). A . Epigyne, ventral view. B . Vulva, dorsal view. Etymology The epithet refers to the type locality. Type material Holotype CHINA • ♂ ; Guizhou , Bijie City , Weining County , Shanqiaojiedao , Dashan Village , Gaodiping Cave ; 26°50′55.03″ N , 104°17′08.81″ E ; alt. 2175 m ; 23 Apr. 2017 ; H.M. Chen leg.; SWUC-T-TEg-08-01 . Paratypes CHINA • 1 ♂ ; same collection data as for holotype; SWUC-T-TEg-08-02 • 2 ♀♀ ; same collection data as for preceding; SWUC-T-TEg-08-03–04 . Description Male ( holotype , Fig. 1L ) MEASUREMENTS. Total length 7.92. Prosoma 3.54 long, 2.83 wide; opisthosoma 4.32 long, 3.00 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.22, ALE 0.22, PME 0.21, PLE 0.20; AME–AME 0.14, AME– Fig. 22. Distribution records of seven new species of the genus Meta C.L. Koch, 1836 in Southwest China. ALE 0.21, PME–PME 0.18, PME–PLE 0.29, ALE–PLE 0.05. MOA 0.58 long, front width 0.57, back width 0.61. Clypeus height 0.26. CHELICERAE. Strong, with 3 promarginal and 4 retromarginal teeth. LEG MEASUREMENTS. I = 18.59 (5.01, 6.53, 5.05, 2.00); II = 14.46 (4.15, 5.06, 3.75, 1.50); III = 7.74 (2.42, 2.62, 1.80, 0.90); IV = 11.03 (3.54, 3.53, 2.84, 1.12). Leg formula: 1243. OPISTHOSOMA. Oval, with two pairs of sigillae. Both dorsum and venter greyish, with black markings. PALP ( Figs 19A–C , 20A–D ). Cymbial ectobasal process simple, V-shaped with pointed end. Paracymbium finger-like, narrow towards tip, with sparse long hairs. Metaine embolic apophysis distal end oval, longer than wide with blunt end, extending forward. EMBOLUS. Long, arc-shaped, with curved tip. Conductor strong, arising meso-retrolaterally from bulb and extending clockwise, longer than wide, with membranous end. Female ( paratype SWUC-T-TEg-08-03, Fig. 1M ) MEASUREMENTS. Total length 7.50. Prosoma 3.14 long, 2.59 wide; opisthosoma 4.42 long, 3.61 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.18, ALE 0.23, PME 0.21, PLE 0.20; AME–AME 0.18, AME–ALE 0.20, PME–PME 0.14, PME–PLE 0.23, ALE–PLE 0.07. MOA 0.61 long, front width 0.52, back width 0.58. Clypeus height 0.28. LEG MEASUREMENTS. I = 14.05 (3.95, 5.03, 3.48, 1.59); II = 10.84 (3.18, 3.75, 2.64, 1.27); III = 6.51 (1.94, 2.21, 1.49, 0.87); IV = 8.93 (2.86, 3.01, 2.05, 1.01). Leg formula: 1243. Other morphological characteristics same as in male. EPIGYNE ( Figs 19D–E , 21A–B ). Posterior margin of epigynal plate with indistinct sclerotized depression. VULVA. Spermathecae semicircular. Fertilization ducts thick, S-shaped. Distribution China , Guizhou (Weining) ( Fig. 22 ).