Tag: LYCOSIDAE

The wolf spider. Perhaps one of the more easily identified spider family due to their prominent eyes and large size. They are free-roaming hunters, oftern medium to large in size, with two large eyes in the front of their cephalic region. These spiders are medially insignificant to humans, though their bite can be painful.

PTERARTORIA LATIVITTATA

PTERARTORIA LATIVITTATA

by anikekirsten
Adult male P. lativittata

Taxon:

  • Class: Arachnida
  • Order: Araneae
  • Infra-Order: Araneamorph (true spiders)
  • Family: Lycosidae
  • Genus: Pterartoria
  • Species: P. lativittata

Female

Unknown.

Male

Around 5mm in body length. Leg span of approximately 10mm diagonally.

Cephalothorax:
Carapace light greyish cream with two dark lines down centre from posterior median eyes, cephalic region raised. Sternum shield shape, black. Pedipalps same colour as carapace, mottled, with dark swollen tarsi that taper sharply. Anterior row of eyes straight, posterior medians close together.

Abdomen:
Thin oval that sharply tapers, same colour as carapace with two dark lines running down dorsal, faint chevron-like markings posterior centre. Ventral pale with tapering dark line in centre.

Legs:
Same colour as carapace, mottled, long. Tarsi darker.

Adult male P. lativittata
Adult male P. lativittata

ABOUT THE GENUS

These spiders are free-roaming hunters and are nocturnal. They are medium-sized spiders, averaging at around 6-7mm, with females generally being larger. The genus is native to South Africa, with at least 2 species occurring in the Northern Cape, and there are only 10 described species. Their legs are often long and thin with some strong spines, though not as much as in Pardosa wolf spiders.

PARDOSA CLAVIPALPIS

PARDOSA CLAVIPALPIS

by anikekirsten
Adult female P. clavipalps

Taxon:

  • Class: Arachnida
  • Order: Araneae
  • Infra-Order: Araneamorph (true spiders)
  • Family: Lycosidae
  • Genus: Pardosa
  • Species: P. clavipalpis

Female

Around 5mm in body length. Leg span of approximately 12mm diagonally.

Cephalothorax:
Carapace brown with raised ridge down centre and dark markings on either side of ridge. Almost black sternum. Palps like legs.

Abdomen:
Abdomen dark grey-brown with two rows of black and white spots running down dorsal and faded light brown triangular marking dorsal anterior. Ventral abdomen plain and light grey-brown. Spinnerets light.

Legs:
Thin light brown legs, with dark bands. Coxae light and plain. 4, 1, 3, 2.

Male

Unknown.

Adult female P. clavipalps
Adult female P. clavipalps

ABOUT THE GENUS

Pardosa are medium-sized wolf spiders and are among the few recorded species to have carried prey around, and will drop it or their egg sac when feeling threatened, though they attempt to return to their dropped package in a short while. They are important in keeping populations of certain mites in check around strawberry farms in South Africa. Some species are even able to control their nutrient intake through their diet, a unique trait among spiders.

PARDOSA CRASSIPALPIS

PARDOSA CRASSIPALPIS

by anikekirsten
Adult female P. crassipalpis with egg sac

Taxon:

  • Class: Arachnida
  • Order: Araneae
  • Infra-Order: Araneamorph (true spiders)
  • Family: Lycosidae
  • Genus: Pardosa
  • Species: P. crassipalpis

Female

Around 5mm in body length. Leg span of approximately 7mm diagonally.

Cephalothorax:
Carapace yellow with two thick dark bands running down from eyes to posterior, thin dark stripe in centre by fovea. Greenish yellow shield shaped sternum.

Abdomen:
Abdomen longer than wide, tapered to sharp point. Dorsal brown with light band down centre, reddish patches, and littered with symmetrical black and white spots. Ventral plain and pale.

Legs:
Light brown, long and thin, and mottled, with prominent setae. Coxae white. 4, 1, 2, 3.

Male

Unknown.

Adult female P. crassipalpis with egg sac
Adult female P. crassipalpis with egg sac

ABOUT THE GENUS

These spiders are commonly known as thin-legged wolf spiders, due to their long and thin legs often covered in strong spines. They are able to wade over still water thanks to those spines. Pardosa is a large genus with over 500 described species, and they occur on every continent excepting Antarctica. Their egg sacs also tend to be greenish white in colour, different from the white to greyish white of most other wolf spiders. P. crassipalpis has variation on colouration and intensity of the colours on both the carapace and abdomen.

HOGNA ZULUANA

HOGNA ZULUANA

by anikekirsten
Adult female H. zuluana

Taxon:

  • Class: Arachnida
  • Order: Araneae
  • Infra-Order: Araneamorph (true spiders)
  • Family: Lycosidae
  • Genus: Hogna
  • Species: H. zuluana

Female

Around 20mm in body length. Leg span of approximately 30mm diagonally.

Cephalothorax:
Yellowish carapace with two dark lines down in line with posterior eyes, eyes ringed in black. Chelicera light, fading to black near fangs. Sternum light with blackish line down centre.

Abdomen:
Oval abdomen, dorsal greyish brown with dark heart line surrounded by yellowish V marking anterior centre followed by faint chevron markings down to light brown spinnerets. Ventral grey with black lance marking in centre with a thinner black line on either side.

Legs:
Light brown yellowish and mottled, fading to dark brown on metatarsus down. 4th leg pair longest, other pairs are subequal.

Male

As in female with leaner abdomen, and modified and swollen tarsi ending in sharp taper on pedipalps.

Adult female H. zuluana
Adult female H. zuluana

ABOUT THE GENUS

The genus Hogna is among the most commonly encountered of the wolf spiders. They are a cosmopolitan spider, occurring on all continents save Antarctica, and one of the largest genera with over 200 described species. Hogna wolf spiders have been given a bad reputation with false or confused necrotic wounds being ascribed to them, though studies have shown them to not be medically significant to humans, and definitely not having cytotoxic venom. These spiders tend to prefer the wide open areas and are often found to inhabit dry regions.

HOGNA SPENCERI

HOGNA SPENCERI

by anikekirsten
Adult male H. spenceri

Taxon:

  • Class: Arachnida
  • Order: Araneae
  • Infra-Order: Araneamorph (true spiders)
  • Family: Lycosidae
  • Genus: Hogna
  • Species: H. spenceri

Female

Unknown.

Male

Around 20mm in body length. Leg span of approximately 30mm diagonally.

Cephalothorax:
Carapace raised in middle, dark brown with thick yellowish line down centre from clypeus to posterior, and thick whitish lines on edges of carapace. Thin black line across clypeus. Chelicera yellow anterior and dark posterior. Sternum shield shaped and glossy black. Pedipalps greyish brown and mottled with dark swollen tarsi that taper sharply. Anterior row of eyes strongly procurved.

Abdomen:
Abdomen thin oval with sharp taper, greyish with dark heart marking dorsal anterior centre of which is surrounded by thick yellowish lines that fade mid-way down into a faint chevron-like pattern posteriorly. Ventral black and spinnerets dark.

Legs:
Greyish and mottled, long and robust with ventral tarsi dark. 4th leg pair longest. Ventral coxae black.

Adult male H. spenceri
Adult male H. spenceri

ABOUT THE GENUS

Hogna spiders are burrowers, creating silk-lined holes in the substrate without a door. These spiders are large, some often rivalling those of the Lycosa genus in size. They are nocturnal predators who actively wander in search of prey. Hogna has been recorded in every province in South Africa and are encountered frequently. They can often be found under rocks, sometimes without a burrow, during the day.