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Metaphidippus 
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The genus Metaphidippus has been a polyphyletic collection of dendryphantine
leftovers: they are the small to medium sized dendryphantines of North
Amerca excluding the species that are bigger (e.g., Phidippus) or with
more exotic body shapes or features (e.g., Hentzia). Thus, the genus has
included a series of species groups: the harfordii group, the galathea
group, the mylothrus group, the vitis group, and so on, which phylogenetically
are pretty close to a random sample from scattered around the subfamily.
Maddison (1996) has begun the dismantling of the genus by removing four
groups to other described or new genera (the galathea group, the harfordii
group, the mylothrus group, and the castaneus group).
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The only species that is certainly a Metaphidippus is the type species, which is Costa Rican and known from a single specimen. It appears closely related to Messua and Bagheera.
Some of the disparate groups currently placed in Metaphidippus are shown in photographs.
For more information and links to the species, go to Metaphidippus in the Tree of Life.
References most relevant to species north of Mexico: Maddison (1996),Kaston (1973).
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