Stegodyphus lineatus

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Stegodyphus lineatus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Arachnida Order: Araneae Suborder: Araneomorphae Family: Eresidae Genus: Stegodyphus Species: S. lineatus
Binomial name
Stegodyphus lineatus (Latreille, 1817)
Synonyms
Eresus lineatus Eresus acanthophilus Eresus unifasciatus Eresus adspersus Eresus fuscifrons Eresus lituratus Stegodyphus adspersus Stegodyphus molitor Eresus arenarius Stegodyphus quadriculatus

Stegodyphus lineatus is the only European species of Stegodyphus.

Contents 1 Description 2 Habits 3 Distribution 4 Name 5 References

[edit] Description

Males are up to 12 mm long, females up to 15 mm. The color of this species can range from whitish to almost black. In most individuals the opisthosoma is whitish with two broad black longitudinal stripes. Males and females look similar, but the male is generally richer in contrast and has a bulbous forehead.^[1]

[edit] Habits

These spiders build a web between twigs, mostly of low thorny shrubs. The web has a diameter of about 30 cm and a retreat of about 5 cm, which is open at the bottom. The spiderlings are hatched in this retreat, and fed by the mother. Adult males can be found in spring.

[edit] Distribution

S. lineatus occurs in Europe only in the southern Mediterranean region (south of Barcelona, southern Greece including Crete) and stretches up to Tajikistan.

[edit] Name

The species name refers to the black lines on the back of these spiders.

[edit] References

1. ^ Bellmann, H. (1997). Kosmos-Atlas Spinnentiere Europas. Kosmos.