Orange brown spider for ID

[Sinaves]

Hi,

I saw this spider last August in birch woodland nr Sheffield.



I would very grateful if anybody could identify the species or genus, and even better, if possible, the diagnostic features.

Thanks very much

Ed

[No.9 Spider]

Looks like it may be a male Meta/Metellina sp. probably M. segmentata or M. mengei.



No.9 Spider

[Sinaves]

Thanks for the ID No.9 Spider.

I have a couple of extra questions if somebody doesn't mind.

I looked it up on Wikipedia and it says the Family Tetragnathidae can be distinguished by the lack of threads in the centre of their web. I was wondering if there are any other features in this picture that distinguish it from those in Araneidae? Are those two stripes along the bottom of the abdomen characteristic of Tetragnathidae? Also, the wiki page states that M. mengei is found in Spring, while I saw mine in late August. Is that a reliable basis to differentiate the two spp.?

Thanks

Ed

[Geoff F]

Speaking very generally now.

This species is probably most confused with Araneus species like A. diadematus.

Meta Mengei/segmenta webs have a 'hole' in the centre and the radii and spirals are wider apart than Araneus or Zygiella species.

Meta species have longer legs than Araneus, particularly the first pair.

Colouration can be rather variable, particularly the abdomen; but they frequently have a brownish carapace with some 'V' shaped central darker markings which widen towards the head. On the underside, a dark central band flanked by lighter lines is another clue.

But they are variable so it is difficult to give any single identification guidelines; it appears to be more along the lines of 'you get used to seeing them' and identification gradually becomes easier.

M. mengei and segmenta are identical to the naked eye but there are a few variations which can allow them to be separated from good close up photos.

While Mengei is mostly a spring/early summer animal and segmenta is mostly found in the autumn it is a very general rule and can't be totally relied upon, especially during mid summer.

But these are just some very rough suggestions and not a good basis for firm identification.

You may find this site useful http://www.xs4all.nl/~ednieuw/Spider...w/Locchart.htm as they explain things better than me.

[Sinaves]

Thanks very much Geoff for taking the time to answer my questions with such detail. In conclusion, the web is the best diagnostic to distinguish between Meta and Araneids, the other differences being more subtle and coming with experience. The website you provided the link for is excellent so thanks for that as well.

Ed