Five new species of Meta Koch, 1836 (Araneae: Tetragnathidae) from Gaoligong Mountains, China

Abstract

Five new species of the genus Meta C.L. Koch, 1836 from the Gongligong Mountains, Yunnan are described: Meta hamata sp. nov. (♂♀), M. longlingensis sp. nov. (♂), M. tangi sp. nov. (♂♀), M. yani sp. nov. (♂♀) and M. yinae sp. nov. (♂♀). Detailed descriptions of somatic features and genitalic characters, photos of the body and genital organs, line drawings of the copulatory organs and distribution maps are provided.

Seven new species of Meta C.L. Koch, 1836 (Araneae, Tetragnathidae) from Southwest China

“…The members of the genus Meta can be found in cliffs around cave entrances or among large stones in forest gullies. Due to the specific and isolated habitats of species of Meta, the existence of cave-endemic species is expected (Wang et al 2020b). Combined with our previous work (Wang et al 2020b), the number of endemic species found in Southwest China reaches 13.…”

“…Due to the specific and isolated habitats of species of Meta, the existence of cave-endemic species is expected (Wang et al 2020b). Combined with our previous work (Wang et al 2020b), the number of endemic species found in Southwest China reaches 13. The specimens of all the species described here were collected on the cliffs and in mountainous ranges of southern China.…”

“…The diversity of Tetragnathidae Menge, 1866 spiders in Southwest China is relatively high, with 81 species belonging to 14 genera (Dianleucauge Song & Zhu, 1994, Diphya Nicolet, 1849, Dolichognatha O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1869, Dyschiriognatha Simon, 1893, Guizygiella Zhu, Kim & Song, 1997, Leucauge White, 1841, Meta C.L. Koch, 1836, Metleucauge Levi, 1980, Okileucauge Tanikawa, 2001, Orsinome Thorell, 1890, Pachygnatha Sundevall, 1823, Tetragnatha Latreille, 1804, Tylorida Simon, 1894, and Wolongia Zhu, Kim & Song, 1997 (Li & Lin 2016;Wang et al 2020aWang et al , 2020b.…”