Classification

Domain: Eukarya
    Like all animals, plants and fungi, Meta menardi is included into the domain Eukarya. The organisms in this domain all contain membrane bound organelles. Some examples are mitochondria, smooth and rough endoplasmic reticulum, lysosomes, and chloroplasts. These organisms also contain the very important organelle, nucleus (Animal Diversity Web, 2013).
 
Kingdom: Animalia
    Organisms of this kingdom are multicellular and heterotrophs (organisms that consume other organism for energy and nutrients). Tissues are also important characteristics of the kingdom Animalia, making up the bodies of animals (other than sponges) and can even specialize and become organs (Animal Diversity Web, 2013, Encyclopedia of Life Web, 2014).Phylogenic Tree
                Figure 1. Phylogenic tree showing pathway to phylum Arthropoda where Meta
                menardi
can be found.

Phylum: Arthropda
    Arthropda are numerous in number and are characterized by their segmented bodies (head, thorax, and abdomen) and their paired jointed appendages. Shedding or molting of the chitin exoskeleton is also apparent in organism found in the phylum Arthropda during growth stages. Some more synapomorphies found in Arthropda include: bilateral symmetry, nervous system found in the belly, open circulatory system and ventral (Encyclopedia of Life Web, 2014).

Class: Arachnida
    The class of Arachnida include organism such as spiders, mites, ticks and scorpions. These entire organisms in the class Arachnida possess eight pairs of appendages that allow for movement with an addition of two appendages that aid in feeding or defense. Arachnida also have the fusion of their head and thorax resulting in only having two segmented body parts (Discover Life in America Web, 2014).

Order: Araneae
    Order Aranea are the spiders.

Family: Tetragnathidae
    Spiders found in the family of Tetragnathidea are also known as long jawed orb weavers. There are 966 species in this family with many being found in North America and Mexico. The bodies of Tetragnathids are distinct with the first pair of legs being the longest and the third being the shortest. The webs that are spun by the Tetragnathdae spiders are orb shaped with an open hub at the center (Encyclopedia of Life Web, 2014). Menainae Phylogenic Tree





Subfamily: Metainae
    This subfamily of Metainae consists of 5 genera: Meta, Metellina, Dolichognatha, Chrysometa, and Diphya spiders (Encyclopedia of Life Web, 2014).



Figure 2. Metainae phylogenic tree showing species closely related to the genus Meta.

Genus: Meta
    Being known as “cave orb weavers” spiders of the genus Meta are found in caves or dark damp environments (Encyclopedia of Life Web, 2014).

Species: Meta menardi
    The Meta menardi spider is placed into the respective species due to the dark coloration, pale or brown abdomen, the dark rings on the legs and also for the general environment that they live in. The Meta menardi is quite similar to the other spider species Meta bourneti in coloration and often confuses people about which one is which. The difference can only be seen through a microscope (Encyclopedia of Life Web, 2014).

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