Arachnids of North Carolina
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View Leptonetidae Members: NC Records

Appaleptoneta gertschi - a cave spider


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Taxonomy
Order: ARANEAEInfraorder: AraneomorphaeFamily: Leptonetidae                                                                                 
Identification
Online Description/Photos: BugGuide Google, iNaturalist, Wikipedia, GBIF
Comments: The ground color is yellowish white overlaid by a granular brownish purple. The darkest parts are the sternum, edges of thorax, venter and sides of the abdomen. The dorsum of the abdomen shows a faint light herring-bone pattern. The palp on the outside shows a characteristic set of spines (Fig. 2). A terminal projection of the cymbium bears in a pit a flattened spine of peculiar shape. Behind this with its origin near the base of the projection is a long delicate hair. A small papilla proximal to the constriction of the tarsus bears four delicate spines one of which is broadened and flattened, spatula-like at the end. These spines are followed by two large forward curving spines in front of which there is a delicate straight spine. The anterior edge of the tibia bears five spines in a group. The upper which is heavy and flattened at the base is longer than the tarsus and patella together. The others from a half to a third the length of the upper. The inside of the palp shows below the constriction in the tarsus a small brownish chitinized patch shaped like the wing-cover of a beetle. Below this patch there is on the front edge of the bulb a fan-shaped group of six or seven straight hairs directed forward.
Total Length: Male.—Length 1.4 mm
Distribution in North Carolina
Comments:
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Appaleptoneta gertschi
Adult phenology:
 High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft.
 Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft.
 Piedmont (Pd)
 Coastal Plain (CP)

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Habitats and Life History
Habitats: forest; in leaf litter
Observation Methods:
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Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
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