Arachnids of North Carolina
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Gasteracantha cancriformis
Spinybacked orbweaver		cancriformis (L), 'crab shaped'A very distinctive spider with many color forms. Abdomen crab like with six spines around edge. Abdomen color can be white, yellowish to orange with dark spots, spines are tipped in black or red. C...Woodland edges, shrubby vegetation, gardens, agricultural areas including orchards and citrus groves....Visual observation, sweep netting and beat sheets.......
Maevia intermedia
a jumping spider		Smaller adult size than other Maevia, mature in spring and early summer. White/yellowish line through AMEs....Likely Sandhills and lower coastal plain in NC.........
Castianeira trilineata
an antlike runner		............
Erigone dentosa
a dwarf sheetweb weaver		............
Vaejovis carolinianus
Southern Unstriped Scorpion		One of 66 species in this genus, all of which are North or Central American (Sissom, 2000). Carolinianus is the sole species that occurs east of the Mississippi. According to Sissom (2000), this genus is not monophyletic, indicating that several new genera should be eventually described. Sissom includes carolinianus in the Mexicanus Species Group, which includes the type species of this genus (mexicanus) but also appears to be heterogeneous and thus likely to be split and given new genus names.A moderately large scorpion. The dorsal surface of the cephalothorax, abdomen, and tail are dark reddish-brown, with obscure yellowish mottling but no pale stripes. The two species of Centuroides that...Shelley (1994) stated that he typically finds this species associated with pine logs and stumps. He cites Gibbons as believing that it is restricted to moist woodlands, but specimens observed in Chero...Usually found by turning over logs or stripping off their bark. A less destructive method involves looking for this species at night using a blacklight; as in other scorpions, this species is highly f...Arachnids are not protected under state law, although permits are needed to collect them in State Parks and other public and private nature preserves. G5 S2?->[S3S4]This species is currently on the Natural Heritage Program Watch List, meaning that more information is needed before its conservation status can be determined. More surveys -- particularly conducted u...
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Nesticus silvanus
a cave cobweb spider		...birch boulder field; under rocks ......S2 G2?...
Nesticus sheari
a cave cobweb spider		...forest; under rocks and logs ......S1 G2?...
Nesticus reclusus
a cave cobweb spider		...forest; under rocks ......S1 G3?...
Nesticus nasicus
a cave cobweb spider		...forest; under stones ......S2 G3...
Nesticus gertschi
a cave cobweb spider		.........S2 G1G2...
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Nesticus crosbyi
a cave cobweb spider		.........S2 G1...
Nesticus carolinensis
Linville Caverns Spider		N. carolinensis is obviously closely related to N. tennesseensis, from which it may be distinguished by the form of the apophysis of the cymbium of the male and the epigynum of the female. Genus formerly Invesia. Male. Length 4.5 mm. Cephalothorax short, broadly rounded on the sides, abruptly narrowed anteriorly opposite the eyes; clypeus wider than median ocular area, slanting downward and forward; median are...Cave......S2 G2...
Nesticus brimleyi
a cave cobweb spider		.........S2 G1G2...
Nesticus bishopi
a cave cobweb spider		...rock crevices near falls ......S2 G3?...
Microhexura montivaga
Spruce-fir Moss Spider		Brownish-yellow to a dark reddish brown. One set of spinnerets very long and curling upward....high-elevation spruce-fir forests; found under moss growing on rocks......Arachnids are not given any protection under state law.G2 S1Federally endangered; endemic to North Carolina and adjacent Tennessee...
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Hypochilus sheari
A Lampshade Spider		.........G2 S1...
Hypochilus coylei
A Lampshade Spider		.........G3? S1endemic to southern mountains of North Carolina...
Grammonota maritima
a dwarf spider		............
Bathyphantes pallidus
a sheetweb weaver		The females are readily identified by having a longer-than-wide scape and a similar and parallel parmula extending as far back or farther than the scape. ...forest; small thin sheet web in leaf litter or under overhang of log .........
Pardosa littoralis
a thinlegged wolf spider 		...In general it is an inhabitant of salt marshes, though Florida records include beaches, lake shores, pine-oak forests, and swamps. One specimen was collected in a soybean field. Muma (1973) trappe.........
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Synageles bishopi
a jumping spider		Named after Sherman C. Bishop, arachnologist (and herpetologist) from the eastern United States in the first half of the twentieth century.Sympatric with S. (G.) noxiosus in the eastern half of the Unite d States. Males may be distinguished from S. (G.) noxiosus by the long, dorsal retrolateral cusp of the palpal tibial apophysis, whic...Habitats are : on bark of ponderosa pine, on elm tree, on fence an d bushes by stream in forest, in grass and litter of old yard, under logs on gravel, i n house, and on side of house . .........
Disembolus corneliae
a dwarf spider		............
Disembolus sacerdotalis
a dwarf spider		............
Agelenopsis utahana
a grass spider		Agelenopsis utahana has enjoyed a relatively stable taxonomic history since having been originally described as Agelena utahana by Chamberlin & Ivie, 1933. It has remained in Agelenopsis since 1941.This is a yellow to reddish brown species, not as dark as A. naevia (q.v.). Both the sternal "V" mark and the ventral abdominal band are faintly—if at all—indicated. ...deep woods, forest edge; forest floor vegetation or tree stumps; funnel/sheet web.........
Eustala cepina
an orbweaver		Smaller but can resemble E. anastera, legs slightly banded, abdomen is triangular almost as wide as long; it may lack dorsal pattern, or have longitudinal line down the middle. The three species repo...low vegetation near stream, lake shores, fields, pine dunes, ponds, gardens, oak (seems to prefer wetter areas than anastera)...Sweep netting.......
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Emblyna sublata
a mesh web spider		............
Theridion frondeum
a cobweb spider		Thick black stripe on carapace...forest understory, forest edge, old field; small web under live leaf.........
Tibellus oblongus
a slender crab spider		...sweeping lake shore.........
Tmarus rubromaculatus
a crab spider		Very similar to T. angulatus in appearance. This species has LI femora >1.5X the length of the carapace, while angulatus's ratio is ca. 1.5X...SC; near lake shore.........
Trachelas mexicanus
a cuspuled spider		Superficially looks like T. tranquillus and other members of the genus. Specific determination only by examinations of epigyna and male palps.............
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Parasteatoda tepidariorum
common house spider		Described by Koch in 1841 as Theridion t., it has also been named Therideum t., and Achearanea t. Its placement in Parasteatoda based on its secondary genital organs (Saaristo, 2006) is considered "controversial" (Eberhard, 2020) by some, and thus may be considered fluid at this writing (Jan 2021). Colors are extremely variable, from black to white and almost everything in between. The abdominal pattern is notably mottled, sometimes appearing reticulated. Males characteristically have reddish le...rock outcrops, buildings, windows, corners of rooms..........
Barronopsis texana
a funnel weaver		Originally described as Agelena texana by Gertsch in 1934, it was moved to Agelenopsis, and most recently to Barronopsis by Lehtinen (1967) who "elevated Barronopsis to genus level and, although he provided no rationale" the genus has been retained (Stocks,2009). Coloration variable, generally dusky gray or tan background with light black mottling, occasionally with reddish or burgundy coloration on abdomen. Carapace coloration also variable, from prominent lo...Temperate pine-hardwood forests and pine-hemlock forests. Exploits human-made structures and landscapes, and frequently abundant in lower latitudes on picnic tables, wooden handrails and fences, and .........
Euryopis funebris
a cobweb spider		The small size, dark abdomen, and iridescent markings are quite distinctive.............
Theridion glaucescens
a cobweb spider		...forest.........
Drassyllus aprilinus
a ground spider		Described by Banks as Zelotes aprilinus in 1904, it was transferred to newly erected genus Drassyllus by Chamberlin in 1922.Specific determination of the genus Drassyllus requires analysis of the genitalia, as colors and markings are inconsistent....Under leaves, logs, etc. Generally on the ground..........
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Xysticus funestus
a ground crab spider		...Durham.........
Thymoites marxi
a cobweb spider		Also found in older literature as Paidisca marxifemale abdomen orange-white except for darker orange sclerotized areas and small spots at bases of setae (four dorsal sclerotized spots, sclerotized rings around spinnerets); sometimes with dusky dors............
Leiobunum formosumApproximately 30 species in this genus have been identified as occurring in North America north of Mexico (Cokendolpher and Lee, 1993; Ingianni et al., 2011), with 16 recorded in North Carolina. However, the validity of several of these species is suspect, with several that will probably be determined to be synonyms of other species, e.g., davisi, speciosum, and zimmermani in North Carolina Burns et al., 2012; Shultz, 2018). According to Shultz (2018), moreover, recent phylogenetic studies indicate both that more species are waiting to be described and that the name Leiobunum may eventually be restricted to European species, requiring new generic names for most, if not all, of our species.Large harvestmen, especially the females; approximately the same size as Hadrobunus maculosus. Males are uniform orange-yellow or red-brown above, with a dark optical tubercle; the central figure is w...In Tennessee, formosum is commonly encountered in stands of pine and mixed hardwoods (Townsend et al., 2006)......Arachnids are not protected under state law, although permits are needed to collect them in State Parks and other public and private nature preserves[GNR] [SU]We have only a single relatively old (1976) record for this species. While this species does not appear to be habitat limited, we need much more information on its distribution in the state, its habit...
Piratula insularis
a pirate wolf spider		 usual tuning-fork pattern on the carapace. Dorsum with distinct hastate mark and no indication of white patches of scale sas in P. piraticus . Basic color of body and legs amber ; legs not banded . V...marsh, forest edge, bog, swamp, river and pond edges..........
Scotinella brittoni............
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Tetragnatha guatemalensis
a longjawed orbweaver		............
Argiope trifasciata
Banded garden spider, Banded Argiope		Large oval abdomen is crossed by a series of narrow black lines, with silver or yellow bands in between. Some females are so densely hairy that the bands are indistinct. The cephalothorax is silvery...Open areas, old fields, shrubby areas, gardens, marsh or pond edges etc. with tall grass. Webs tend to be more hidden than those of aurantia....Visual observation.......
Bassaniana versicolor
a bark crab spider		............
Hogna baltimoriana
a wolf spider		Underside of legs with black bands, H. lenta have no bands............
Marpissa bina
a jumping spider		Dorsum of abdomen may be covered with fine golden iridescent scales, and median longitudinal area between pairs of white spots may be distinctly paler than lateral portions of dorsum....Intertidal grasses.........
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Phylloneta pictipes
a cobweb spider		Differs from T. frondeum by having excessively banded legs; in particular, their having bands in the middle of their leg segments as well as a dark band on the lateral edge of the carapace. Male bands...SC; sweep net.........
Peckhamia unidentified species
an antmimic jumping spider		Regarding the three species of Peckhamia P. picata – (uplands, brown to dark brown, not black) constricted abdomen, a conspicuous constriction right behind their rear eyes (the posterior laterals).............
Marpissa dentoides
a jumping spider		 This species is very close to M. lineata in coloration and structure. The male, however, can easily be separated from other members of the lineata group in having the cymbium of the palp flattened............
Marpissa sulcosa
a jumping spider		Similar to M. lineata. The dorsum of the male displays a distinctive pattern of paired spots, while in both sexes the venter lacks the median paired bands.............
Marpissa pikei
Pike Slender Jumper		............