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Dolloff Cave spider
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| Dolloff cave spider | |
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| Dolloff Cave Spider in pit by Alex Jones, University of California Santa Cruz | |
G1: Critically Imperiled (NatureServe Element Ranking)
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Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Araneomorphae |
| Family: | Tetragnathidae |
| Genus: | Meta |
| Species: | M. dolloff
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| Binomial name | |
| Meta dolloff | |
The Dolloff cave spider (Meta dolloff) is a spider native to California, among the rarest spiders of North America. This species is listed as critically imperiled around the globe and in California and was listed on the 2000 IUCN Red List of Threatened Animals. This doesn't provide legal protection for the species, but the list tracks animals that may become endangered. Note: The IUCN Red List has not been assessed since 1996.
Discovery
[edit]In the 1940s, a small group of expeditions were set across California to formally publish information on the unknowns of caves and their fauna. These expeditions began in 1946 when Erwin Bischoff from San Francisco State College created and published the first list of known caves in California. Then, a naturalist from Sequoia National Park, Frank Oberhansley, published a field guide on the Crystal Sequoia Cave. This continued even further to Southern California where Philip Krutzsch at San Diego State University, published a study of bats in the San Diego county. From these distinguished researchers, the first three chapters of the National Speleological Society including the Southern California Grotto were created and expanded further in 1948 with the founding of the Stanford Grotto[1]. These grottos became essential in learning what we know today about caves and their inhabitants with new species being found including the Dolloff Cave Spider which was discovered by Herbert Walter Levi in 1980.[2]
Habitat
[edit]The Dolloff cave spider has been found in caves in the Empire Cave System near University of California, Santa Cruz, and in the Gray Whale Ranch State Park. Within the Empire Caves, they build weaves of orb-like webs and usually build them on the twilight zones of the caves where flying and jumping insects are more likely to be caught. Although usually only seen in the Empire Cave System in Santa Cruz, CA, they have also been found in the soil plots on the upper campus at the University of California, Santa Cruz.
Behavior
[edit]Although not formally researched, based off of other spiders in the genus Meta, we can assume it spends time weaving orb-like webs in the entrances of caves for jumping and flying insects.
Diet
[edit]Also not formally known, is the diet of the Dolloff cave spider. Nonetheless, we can compare the diet of the Dolloff cave spider to other cave spiders that feed on commonly found cave insects such as crickets, grasshoppers, flies, and others.
Conservation Status
[edit]Globally and in California, the Dolloff cave spider is listed as a critically imperiled species by the State of California Department of Fish and Wildlife (updated May, 2021)[3]. The Dolloff cave spider is also listed on the IUCN Red list of Threatened animals as Vulnerable.
References
[edit]- ^ Mead, Jim I.; McGinnis, Thomas W.; Keeley, Jon E. (2006-08). "A Mid-Holocene Fauna from Bear Den Cave, Sequoia National Park, California". Bulletin, Southern California Academy of Sciences. 105 (2): 43–58. doi:10.3160/0038-3872(2006)105[43:amffbd]2.0.co;2. ISSN 0038-3872.
{{cite journal}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ LEVI, HERBERT W. (2005-07-28). "THE ORB-WEAVER GENUS MANGORA OF MEXICO, CENTRAL AMERICA, AND THE WEST INDIES (ARANEAE: ARANEIDAE)". Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology. 158 (4): 139–181. doi:10.3099/0027-4100(2005)158[139:togmom]2.0.co;2. ISSN 0027-4100.
- ^ "Special Plant and Animal Lists - California Department of Fish and Wildlife". www.dfg.ca.gov. Retrieved 2021-05-20.
