Meotipa: Difference between revisions – Wikipedia

 

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==Distribution==

==Distribution==

Spiders in this genus are found in Asia, [[Papua New Guinea]], and on the [[Pacific Islands]].

Spiders in this genus are found in Asia, [[Papua New Guinea]], and on the [[Pacific Islands]].

==Description==

Females measure 2.5 to 6.0 mm in length, while males range from 1.1 to 1.8 mm.<ref name=”dippenaar2021″ />

Females of ”Meotipa” differ from all other theridiids by the unusual outline of the [[opisthosoma|abdomen]], with the tip projected upward and backward over the [[spinneret]]s similar to some ”[[Argyrodes]]”. Apically, there is a rounded knob bearing conspicuous black flattened spines or scales, often also present on the rear face of the abdomen. One or two pairs of lateral abdominal humps are characteristic.<ref name=”dippenaar2021″ />

The [[carapace]] bears relatively large [[eyes]] that are somewhat variable, being uniform in size or with middle eyes larger than side eyes. The eyes often have a reddish tinge. The anterior median eyes are darker than the other eyes, which are pearly white. The abdomen is vividly coloured in white and black, often with red.<ref name=”dippenaar2021″ />

The legs are often very long with leg I longer than leg IV.<ref name=”dippenaar2021″ />

==Life style==

These spiders exhibit strange resting behaviour, pivoting the body axis over 90 degrees so that it rests with one side turned towards the leaf surface, with legs wrapped in a semicircle on the leaf surface.<ref name=”dippenaar2021″ />

==Species==

==Species==

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{{Reflist|refs=

{{Reflist|refs=

<ref name=”wsc”>{{cite web | url=https://wsc.nmbe.ch/genus/3505 | title=Genus Meotipa | publisher=World Spider Catalog | doi=10.24436/2 | accessdate=2025-10-03}}</ref>

<ref name=”wsc”>{{cite web | url=https://wsc.nmbe.ch/genus/3505 | title=Genus Meotipa | publisher=World Spider Catalog | doi=10.24436/2 | accessdate=2025-10-03}}</ref>

<ref name=”dippenaar2021″>{{cite book | last1=Dippenaar-Schoeman | first1=A.S. | last2=Haddad | first2=C.R. | last3=Foord | first3=S.H. | last4=Lotz | first4=L.N. | year=2021 | title=The Theridiidae of South Africa. Part 1 A-P | publisher=South African National Survey of Arachnida Photo Identification Guide | page=49 | doi=10.5281/zenodo.7515890}}{{Creative Commons text attribution notice|cc=by4}}</ref>

<ref name=fix1>{{cite journal |title=Species of the genus Meotipa Simon, 1895 with descriptions of two new species from Sri Lanka and one from China (Araneae: Theridiidae) |journal=ZooNova: Occasional Papers in Zoology: Number 39, Pages 1 – 26 |date=2024 |pages=1–26 |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/386347099_SPECIES_OF_THE_GENUS_MEOTIPA_SIMON_1895_WITH_DESCRIPTIONS_OF_TWO_NEW_SPECIES_FROM_SRI_LANKA_AND_ONE_FROM_CHINA_ARANEAE_THERIDIIDAE }}</ref>

<ref name=fix1>{{cite journal |title=Species of the genus Meotipa Simon, 1895 with descriptions of two new species from Sri Lanka and one from China (Araneae: Theridiidae) |journal=ZooNova: Occasional Papers in Zoology: Number 39, Pages 1 – 26 |date=2024 |pages=1–26 |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/386347099_SPECIES_OF_THE_GENUS_MEOTIPA_SIMON_1895_WITH_DESCRIPTIONS_OF_TWO_NEW_SPECIES_FROM_SRI_LANKA_AND_ONE_FROM_CHINA_ARANEAE_THERIDIIDAE }}</ref>

<ref name=Simon1895>{{cite journal |last=Simon |first=E. |author-link=Eugène_Simon |year=1895 |title=Etudes arachnologiques. 26e. XLI. Descriptions d’espèces et de genres nouveaux de l’ordre des Araneae |journal=Annales de la Société Entomologique de France |volume=64 |pages=131–160 [1393] |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/part/16714 }}</ref>

<ref name=Simon1895>{{cite journal |last=Simon |first=E. |author-link=Eugène_Simon |year=1895 |title=Etudes arachnologiques. 26e. XLI. Descriptions d’espèces et de genres nouveaux de l’ordre des Araneae |journal=Annales de la Société Entomologique de France |volume=64 |pages=131–160 [1393] |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/part/16714 }}</ref>

Genus of spiders

Meotipa is a genus of comb-footed spiders that was first described by Eugène Simon in 1895.^[1][2]

Spiders in this genus are found in Asia, Papua New Guinea, and on the Pacific Islands.^[1]

Females measure 2.5 to 6.0 mm in length, while males range from 1.1 to 1.8 mm.^[3]

Females of Meotipa differ from all other theridiids by the unusual outline of the abdomen, with the tip projected upward and backward over the spinnerets similar to some Argyrodes. Apically, there is a rounded knob bearing conspicuous black flattened spines or scales, often also present on the rear face of the abdomen. One or two pairs of lateral abdominal humps are characteristic.^[3]

The carapace bears relatively large eyes that are somewhat variable, being uniform in size or with middle eyes larger than side eyes. The eyes often have a reddish tinge. The anterior median eyes are darker than the other eyes, which are pearly white. The abdomen is vividly coloured in white and black, often with red.^[3]

The legs are often very long with leg I longer than leg IV.^[3]

These spiders exhibit strange resting behaviour, pivoting the body axis over 90 degrees so that it rests with one side turned towards the leaf surface, with legs wrapped in a semicircle on the leaf surface.^[3]

As of October 2025^[update], this genus includes 27 species:^[1][4]

In synonymy:

• M. clementinae (Petrunkevitch, 1930) = Meotipa pulcherrima (Mello-Leitão, 1917)
• M. jianglensis (Zhu & Song, 1993) = Meotipa vesiculosa Simon, 1895
• M. mussau Chrysanthus, 1975 = Meotipa pulcherrima (Mello-Leitão, 1917)