Grass spider

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iGrass spider
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Arachnida Order: Araneae Family: Agelenidae Genus: Agelenopsis Giebel, 1869
Diversity
13 species
Species
see text

The grass spiders are members of the genus Agelenopsis. They weave sheet webs that have a funnel shelter on one edge. The web is not sticky, but these spiders make up for that shortcoming by running very rapidly. They may be recognized by the arrangement of their eight eyes into three rows. The top row has two eyes, the middle row has four eyes, and the bottom row has two eyes (spaced wider than the ones on the top row). They also have two prominent hind spinnerets, and somewhat indistinct bands on their legs.

[edit] Etymology

Combination of Agelena a genus of similar spiders, and Greek -opsis "to look like".

[edit] Species

• Agelenopsis actuosa (Gertsch & Ivie, 1936) (USA, Canada)
• Agelenopsis aleenae Chamberlin & Ivie, 1935 (USA)
• Agelenopsis aperta (Gertsch, 1934) (USA, Mexico)
• Agelenopsis emertoni Chamberlin & Ivie, 1935 (USA)
• Agelenopsis kastoni Chamberlin & Ivie, 1941 (USA)
• Agelenopsis longistyla (Banks, 1901) (USA)
• Agelenopsis naevia (Walckenaer, 1842) (USA, Canada)
• Agelenopsis oklahoma (Gertsch, 1936) (USA)
• Agelenopsis oregonensis Chamberlin & Ivie, 1935 (USA)
• Agelenopsis pennsylvanica (C. L. Koch, 1843) (USA)
• Agelenopsis potteri (Blackwall, 1846) (North America, introduced in Russia)
• Agelenopsis spatula Chamberlin & Ivie, 1935 (USA)
• Agelenopsis utahana (Chamberlin & Ivie, 1933) (USA, Canada, Alaska)

Other pictures:

Agelenopsis sp. male, 17 mm. (about 3/4 inch)

Same, showing elaborate pedipalps

Same, from the side.

[edit] External links

• Agelenidae species
• Pictures of Agelenopsis sp. (free for noncommercial use)