Arachnids of North Carolina
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View Theridiidae Members: NC Records

Spintharus flavidus - a cobweb spider


Immature
Taxonomy
Order: ARANEAEInfraorder: AraneomorphaeFamily: Theridiidae                                                                                 
Comments: "...molecular phylogenetic data for Spintharus was published only recently by Dziki et al. (2015), based on specimens freshly sampled throughout the Caribbean and on neighbouring continents. These data strongly rejected Levi’s ‘widespread species’ hypothesis and instead suggested that Levi’s ‘Spintharus flavidus’ hypothesis contains multiple short-range endemics both on the Caribbean islands as well as on the surrounding continents. Dziki et al. concluded that at least 16 new species were present in their samples, all of which occur only in one or a few nearby localities, and all are restricted to single islands or a small mainland area. Given these findings and limited mainland sampling, a thorough survey of the genus throughout the Americas will probably yield numerous additional species. Hence, a revision of the genus is not timely." Agnarsson et al., 2018. Agnarsson, I., Van Patten, C., Sargeant, L., Chomitz, B., Dziki, A. & Binford, G. J. (2018). A radiation of the ornate Caribbean ‘smiley-faced spiders’, with descriptions of 15 new species (Araneae: Theridiidae, Spintharus). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 182(4): 758-790. Dziki A, Binford GJ, Coddington JA, Agnarsson I. 2015. Spintharus flavidus in the Caribbean-a 30 million year biogeographical history and radiation of a ‘widespread species’. Peerj 3: e1422 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.1422.
Identification
Online Description/Photos: BugGuide Google, iNaturalist, Wikipedia, GBIF
Total Length: Female 4.0-4.5mm, Male 2.8mmAdult ID: identifiable by photo of specific features and/or supplementary info
Distribution in North Carolina
Comments: Massachusetts south to Florida; west to Ohio and Texas.
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Adult phenology:
 High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft.
 Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft.
 Piedmont (Pd)
 Coastal Plain (CP)

Click on graph to enlarge
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: forest understory, bushes at edges of woods.
Observation Methods:
Abundance/Frequency:
Silk / Web: Spintharus are typically found in leaf litter or the undersides of leaves in low vegetation where they construct small and difficult to observe webs. These webs are simplified ‘H-webs’ (Levi, 1963a; Agnarsson, 2004) where the spider is in the middle facing down towards the gluey droplets at the base of the web. Agnarsson et al., 2018. From there, Spintharus monitors a pair of lines, and awaits potential prey's blundering into and becoming trapped by them.
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks:
State Protection:
Comments:

 Photo Gallery for Spintharus flavidus - a cobweb spider

Photos: 12

Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-01-14
Sampson Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-01-14
Sampson Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn on 2022-08-31
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2021-10-05
Transylvania Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn on 2021-08-22
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn on 2020-08-04
Surry Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn on 2020-08-04
Surry Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn on 2014-08-24
Surry Co.
Comment: Immature
Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn on 2014-08-24
Surry Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn on 2013-09-05
Warren Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: FKW on 2009-09-09
Gates Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: FKW, SBW on 2004-09-09
Gates Co.
Comment: