Metepeira gosoga
Chamberlin & Ivie, 1935
Metepeira gosoga is an orb-weaving spider in the Araneidae, found in the southwestern United States and Mexico. Like other members of its , it constructs a distinctive web consisting of a small orb web connected to a tangled labyrinth of silk surrounding a thimble-shaped retreat. The is poorly documented in the scientific literature, with most information inferred from better-studied .
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Metepeira gosoga: //ˌmɛtɛˈpaɪərə ɡoʊˈsoʊɡə//
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Identification
Specific identification of M. gosoga requires examination of genitalia. The Metepeira is characterized by a combination web structure: a small orb web with a signal thread leading to a tubular retreat surrounded by irregular, tangled silk. Mature females of the genus measure 5.5–7.2 mm in body length, males 3–4.5 mm. Coloration is highly variable across the genus, making visual identification unreliable without a web or specimen dissection.
Images
Habitat
Arid and semi-arid in the southwestern United States and Mexico. Related Metepeira in the western U.S. have been observed in shrubs and low vegetation in dry environments.
Distribution
United States (southwestern states) and Mexico. Records indicate presence in Middle America and North America.
Seasonality
likely occur in late summer and early autumn, based on patterns observed in at similar latitudes.
Life Cycle
Females construct cone-shaped sacs covered in brown, papery silk, which are stacked in the web. Spiderlings likely overwinter within egg sacs and emerge when conditions become favorable, as documented in related Metepeira .
Behavior
Constructs a retreat-connected orb web; the spider waits in its retreat, connected to the web hub by a signal thread, and rushes to capture prey that strikes the orb. Kleptoparasitic spiders in the Argyrodes have been documented using Metepeira webs, including one record of Argyrodes trigonum preying on a Metepeira .
Ecological Role
As a small orb weaver, it contributes to in arid . Its webs may serve as for kleptoparasitic spiders.
Similar Taxa
- Metepeira labyrintheaThe only Metepeira with a widely used ('Labyrinth Spider'); ranges in eastern U.S. and southern Ontario rather than the southwest, with overlapping web architecture but different geographic distribution.
- Metepeira spinipesWestern with documented social in dense colonies; M. gosoga has not been recorded exhibiting sociality.
- Metepeira incrassataMexican known for colonial and heavy kleptoparasite loads; geographic range may overlap with M. gosoga in Mexico.