Cheiracanthium mildei

Cheiracanthium mildei
Male Cheiracanthium mildei
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Arachnida
Order:	Araneae
Infraorder:	Araneomorphae
Family:	Eutichuridae
Genus:	Cheiracanthium
Species:	C. mildei
Binomial name
Cheiracanthium mildei C. L. Koch, 1839

Cheiracanthium mildei is a species of spider from the Eutichuridae family. C. mildei is commonly known as the Northern yellow sac spider, a name it shares with many other spiders of its genus.^[1]

Description

C. mildei usually has a pale green or tan body, with darker brown palpi and chelicerae. An adult C. mildei is usually 7–10 millimetres (0.3–0.4 in) in body size. Each leg ends in double claws, and the front pair is significantly longer (up to two times the size, however it is clearly shorter than in C. inclusum species).^[1] The eyes have a tapetum lucidum that reflects back to the light source once lit, suggesting that the spiders have good to excellent vision and are agile prey hunters. Although this spider can bite humans, the effects appear to be mild.^[2]

Habitat and distribution

C. mildei is widespread across the Northeastern United States and Eastern Canada, as well as most of Northern Europe and can be found outside, or more commonly inside houses. The American species is thought to have been introduced there from Europe by the English colonists.

Toxicity

The bite of C. mildei is painful, similar to a bee or wasp sting and can produce a necrotic lesion. Early administration of an antihistamine can greatly improve the outcome.

References