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 Patel & Reddy, 1993 – India Meta birmanica Thorell, 1898 – Myanmar Meta bourneti Simon, 1922 – Europe, Georgia, North Africa Meta bowo Wang, Irfan, Chen & Zhang, 2022 – China Meta cona Wang, Irfan, Chen & Zhang, 2022 – China Meta dolloff Levi, 1980 – United States Meta gyirong Wang, Irfan, Chen & Zhang, 2022 – China Meta hamata Wang, Zhou, Irfan, Yang & Peng, 2020 – China Meta hongyuan Wang, Irfan, Chen & Zhang, 2022 – China Meta japonica Tanikawa, 1993 – Japan Meta longlingensis Wang, Zhou, Irfan, Yang & Peng, 2020 – China Meta manchurica Marusik & Koponen, 1992 – Russia (Far East), Korea Meta menardi (Latreille, 1804) – Europe, Turkey, Iran (type species) Meta meruensis Tullgren, 1910 – Tanzania, South Africa Meta mixta O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1885 – Pakistan Meta monogrammata Butler, 1876 – Australia (Queensland) Meta montana Hogg, 1919 – Indonesia (Sumatra) Meta nebulosa Schenkel, 1936 – China Meta nigridorsalis Tanikawa, 1994 – China, Japan Meta obscura Kulczyński, 1899 – Madeira Meta ovalis (Gertsch, 1933) – Canada, United States Meta qianshanensis C. D. Zhu & S. F. Zh, 1983 – China Meta serrana Franganillo, 1930 – Cuba Meta shenae Zhu, Song & Zhang, 2003 – China Meta simlaensis Tikader, 1982 – India Meta stridulans Wunderlich, 1987 – Madeira Meta tangi Wang, Zhou, Irfan, Yang & Peng, 2020 – China Meta tibet Wang, Irfan, Chen & Zhang, 2022 – China Meta turbatrix Keyserling, 1887 – Australia (New South Wales) Meta wanglang Wang, Irfan, Chen & Zhang, 2022 – China Meta weining Wang, Irfan, Chen & Zhang, 2022 – China Meta yani Wang, Zhou, Irfan, Yang & Peng, 2020 – China Meta yinae Wang, Zhou, Irfan, Yang & Peng, 2020 – China
Synonyms Synonyms include: Meta americana Marusik & Koponen, 1992 = Meta ovalis (Gertsch, 1933) Meta milleri Kratochvíl, 1942 = Meta bourneti Simon, 1922
Dubious names
Nomina dubia (dubious names) include: Meta nigra Franganillo, 1920
References