Meta (spider)

Meta is a genus of long-jawed orb-weavers that was first described by Ludwig Carl Christian Koch in 1835. They are often associated with caves, caverns, and recesses, earning some of them the name "cave orbweavers"

Distribution

Spiders in this genus are found worldwide.

Description

Meta species have a carapace slightly longer than wide with eyes in two rows, evenly spaced. The abdomen is long and oval, decorated with spots and silver coloration.

Life style

The inclination of Meta webs varies from vertical to horizontal, most often at a sharp angle to the vertical. The hub is open with widely spaced viscid spirals. Most species spin their webs in shadowy, dark and damp places such as caves and shaded ravines. They are more common at higher altitudes.

Species

, this genus includes 33 species:

• Meta abdomenalis <small>Patel & Reddy, 1993</small> – India
• Meta birmanica <small>Thorell, 1898</small> – Myanmar
• Meta bourneti <small>Simon, 1922</small> – Europe, Georgia, North Africa
• Meta bowo <small>Wang, Irfan, Chen & Zhang, 2022</small> – China
• Meta cona <small>Wang, Irfan, Chen & Zhang, 2022</small> – China
• Meta dolloff <small>Levi, 1980</small> – United States
• Meta gyirong <small>Wang, Irfan, Chen & Zhang, 2022</small> – China
• Meta hamata <small>Wang, Zhou, Irfan, Yang & Peng, 2020</small> – China
• Meta hongyuan <small>Wang, Irfan, Chen & Zhang, 2022</small> – China
• Meta japonica <small>, 1993</small> – Japan
• Meta longlingensis <small>Wang, Zhou, Irfan, Yang & Peng, 2020</small> – China
• Meta manchurica <small>Marusik & Koponen, 1992</small> – Russia (Far East), Korea
• Meta menardi <small>(Latreille, 1804)</small> – Europe, Turkey, Iran (type species)
• Meta meruensis <small>Tullgren, 1910</small> – Tanzania, South Africa
• Meta mixta <small>O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1885</small> – Pakistan
• Meta monogrammata <small>Butler, 1876</small> – Australia (Queensland)
• Meta montana <small>Hogg, 1919</small> – Indonesia (Sumatra)
• Meta nebulosa <small>Schenkel, 1936</small> – China
• Meta nigridorsalis <small>Tanikawa, 1994</small> – China, Japan
• Meta obscura <small>Kulczyński, 1899</small> – Madeira
• Meta ovalis <small>(Gertsch, 1933)</small> – Canada, United States
• Meta qianshanensis <small>C. D. Zhu & S. F. Zh, 1983</small> – China
• Meta serrana <small>Franganillo, 1930</small> – Cuba
• Meta shenae <small>Zhu, Song & Zhang, 2003</small> – China
• Meta simlaensis <small>Tikader, 1982</small> – India
• Meta stridulans <small>Wunderlich, 1987</small> – Madeira
• Meta tangi <small>Wang, Zhou, Irfan, Yang & Peng, 2020</small> – China
• Meta tibet <small>Wang, Irfan, Chen & Zhang, 2022</small> – China
• Meta turbatrix <small>Keyserling, 1887</small> – Australia (New South Wales)
• Meta wanglang <small>Wang, Irfan, Chen & Zhang, 2022</small> – China
• Meta weining <small>Wang, Irfan, Chen & Zhang, 2022</small> – China
• Meta yani <small>Wang, Zhou, Irfan, Yang & Peng, 2020</small> – China
• Meta yinae <small>Wang, Zhou, Irfan, Yang & Peng, 2020</small> – China

Synonyms

Synonyms include:

• Meta americana <small>Marusik & Koponen, 1992</small> = Meta ovalis <small>(Gertsch, 1933)</small>
• Meta milleri <small>Kratochvíl, 1942</small> = Meta bourneti <small>Simon, 1922</small>

Dubious names

Nomina dubia (dubious names) include:

• Meta nigra <small>Franganillo, 1920</small>

References