Metepeira sp probably - Metepeira foxi - BugGuide.Net

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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Chelicerates (Chelicerata) » Arachnids (Arachnida) » Spiders (Araneae) » True Spiders (Araneomorphae) » Entelegynae » Orb Weavers (Araneidae) » Metepeira » Metepeira foxi

Photo#350853

Copyright © 2009 Lynn Monroe

Metepeira sp probably - Metepeira foxi

Borrego Springs, San Diego County, California, USA
March 21, 1998
Size: BL~7.5 mm

This spider, which looks like the Metepeira that was already identified on BugGuide, has this large silky structure behind it. We've been reading that some species use a "retreat tunnel"for popping in and hiding. This looks like it could fit the bill with space to spare! Is anyone familiar with this "retreat tunnel" to tell us if that is what this picture shows? Any help is much appreciated.

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Contributed by Lynn Monroe on 10 November, 2009 - 5:54pm
Last updated 30 January, 2013 - 11:16pm

Moved

Moved from Southeast Desert. ID based on range, abdominal shape and pattern.

… Lynette Elliott, 30 January, 2013 - 11:16pm

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Moved

Moved from Images from California.

… john and jane balaban, 20 January, 2013 - 4:43pm

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Lynette, what do you think of foxi

for this one. Looks like image 94 in Levi. Yellow legs. More spherical in shape. 7.5mm is big for foxi, but it is only ~

… john and jane balaban, 28 February, 2010 - 4:39pm

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Yes,

pattern, coloring and range match very well. I think it's one of the best pattern matches to Levi's dawings that I've seen so far.

… Lynette Elliott, 28 February, 2010 - 6:40pm

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I have an entry [thumb:13

I have an entry

which, according to guide pages, should be M. foxi since there is no longitudinal white line on the sternum. However, I don't find any other cases of this species in Texas. Also, I'm unclear whether M. foxi builds hybrid style webs like M. labyrinthea does. If that web design is unique to that species, then I guess what I have is M. labyrinthea. But in that case, the detail about the white stripe is wrong. Do you have anything to add on this?

… Victor Engel, 13 November, 2019 - 12:44pm

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Moved

Moved from ID Request.

… Lynette Elliott, 11 November, 2009 - 10:22am

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Retreat tunnel

I agree with your assessment. Metepeira retreats are variable in appearance, depending on what debris is used to decorate them. If you browse through the Metepeira section in the guide you will see other examples.

… Charley Eiseman, 10 November, 2009 - 6:50pm

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Metepeira retreats.

Thanks so much for confirming this is indeed a tunnel retreat.

… Lynn Monroe, 11 November, 2009 - 9:08am

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