Metacyrba taeniola similus
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adult female, live |
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adult male, live |
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female genitalia; epigynum |
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male genitalia; palp, lateral view |
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male genitalia; palp, ventral view |
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grape size comparison with adult spiders; male (left), female (right) |
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spiderling, live |
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spiderlings, dead; dorsal (left), ventral (right) |
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egg sac |
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egg sac with scale (cm) |
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diagnostic feature; light stripes on dorsal abdomen |
Current valid name
Metacyrba taeniola similis Banks (family Salticidae)
Recognition and diagnostic features
Small jumping spider with elongate abdomen and thin, yellow, paired, often-broken longitudinal lines along abdomen dorsum, tibia of leg pair I enlarged.
Spider
Body lengths when mature: male: 4.5 mm (range = 3.7 - 4.9 mm), female: 5.8 mm (range = 4.9 - 7.3 mm)
Immatures resemble miniature adults.
Egg sac
Description: retreat-like sac of white silk, longer than wide, female hides inside and guards eggs, 7.1 mm wide, 17.3 mm long
Number of eggs per sac: 11.7 ± 5.7
Size of egg: 0.84 ± 0.064 mm
Distribution
In California: throughout much of California
Elsewhere: southwestern U.S. to Oklahoma and Texas, Mexico
Native to North America
This species has not been transported or become established outside of its range.
Biology
Diurnal hunting spider. Collected mostly under rocks or bark; seems unlikely to be found in grapes very often.
Status in table grapes
Level of Incidence: common under bark, uncommon in grape bunches
Level of Concern in New Zealand: WPNZ (May 2010) nr, BORIC (Dec 2011) nr (not listed), MAF-BPRA (2002) nr (coding definition)
Level of Concern in Australia: WPAU (2006) nr (coding definition)
Level of Medical importance: none
Common name
None for species, jumping spiders for family
Taxonomic history
In 2005, the western species was renamed as the subspecies M. taeniola similis. Prior to that, M. taeniola was considered to exist from California to Florida. However, due to leg coloration and habitat differences between the eastern and western members of the species, it was felt that subspecies status better described the subtle differences. The eastern species is now known as M. taeniola taeniola.
Commonly encountered synonyms
Metacyrba taeniola
Selected references
Edwards, G. B. 2005. A review of described Metacyrba, the status of Parkella, and notes on Platycryptus and Balmaceda, with a comparison of the genera (Araneae: Salticidae: Marpissinae). Insecta Mundi 19: 193-226.
