Meta meruensis

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Meruensis Orb-Web Spider
Meta meruensis 13030411.jpg
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Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Infraorder: Araneomorphae
Family: Tetragnathidae
Genus: Meta
Species:
M. meruensis
Binomial name
Meta meruensis
Tullgren, 1910 [1]
Synonyms [2]
  • Meta pumilaThorell, 1877
  • Argyroepeira pumilaThorell, 1890
  • Mesida pumilaChrysanthus, 1975

Meta meruensis is a species of spider in the family Tetragnathidae. [2] It is commonly known as the meruensis orb-web spider. [3]

Contents

Distribution

Meta meruensis is found in Tanzania and South Africa. [2] In South Africa, the species is recorded from three provinces: KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, and Mpumalanga. [3]

Habitat and ecology

The species has been collected from low vegetation near water in Forest and Savanna biomes at altitudes ranging from 687 to 2,785 m. [3]

Description

Conservation

Meta meruensis is listed as Least Concern by the South African National Biodiversity Institute due to its wide geographical range. [3] The species is protected in Blouberg Nature Reserve, Lekgalameetse Nature Reserve, and Lhuvhondo Nature Reserve. [3]

Taxonomy

The species was originally described by Albert Tullgren in 1910 from Tanzania. [1] According to Marusik and Larsen in 2018, the species is misplaced in Meta and based on the shape of the epigyne, it may belong to Leucauge. [4] However, it differs from Leucauge in several aspects, including the absence of the double fringe of trichobothria on leg IV. [4]

It is known only from females. [3]

References

  1. 1 2 Tullgren, A. (1910). "Araneae". Wissenschaftliche Ergebnisse der Schwedischen Zoologischen Expedition nach dem Kilimandjaro, dem Meru und den umgebenden Massaisteppen Deutsch-Ostafrikas 1905-1906 unter Leitung von Prof. Dr. Yngve Sjöstedt. Sjöstedts Kilimandjaro-Meru Expedition. Vol. 20. pp. 85–172. doi:10.5962/bhl.title.6622.
  2. 1 2 3 "Meta meruensis Tullgren, 1910". World Spider Catalog. Natural History Museum Bern. doi:10.24436/2 . Retrieved 2025-10-01.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S.; Haddad, C.R.; Foord, S.H.; Lotz, L.N. (2023). The Tetragnathidae of South Africa. South African National Survey of Arachnida Photo Identification Guide. p. 27. doi:10.5281/zenodo.7513261. Creative Commons by small.svg  This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.
  4. 1 2 Marusik, Y.M.; Larsen, N. (2018). "A new species and new records of Metellina (Araneae: Tetragnathidae) from Africa". Zootaxa. 4418 (5): 497–504. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4418.5.8.
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