Arachnids of North Carolina
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Scientific Name: Common Name: Family (Alpha):
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View LYCOSIDAE Members: NC Records

Pirata spiniger - a pirate wolf spider

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Taxonomy
Order: ARANEAEInfraorder: ARANEOMORPHAEFamily: LYCOSIDAE                                                                                 
Identification
Online Description/Photos: BugGuide Google, iNaturalist, Wikipedia, GBIF
Comments: Male Carapace 2 .20 mm long, 1 .57 mm wide, without markings . Legs and carapace from above amber in color ,dorsum of abdomen light yellow, almost white in color . Ventrally there is no pattern, the sternum and venter slightly lighter in color than the legs . The muscles in the cephalothorax are faintly visible from above giving the carapace a faint striated appearance . The anterior eye row is wider than the posterior median row, and is straight . The anterior median eyes are twice as large as the anterior laterals and the same size as th e posterior laterals; and are closer to each other than to the laterals. The clypeus height equals the diameter of an anterior median eye . Lower margin of the furrow of the chelicerae with three, almost equally spaced teeth, the median tooth the largest, the othe r two similar in size . Legs 4123, unbanded. Tibia I with twelve long, overlapping ventrolateral, two pro -lateral, and retrolateral spines . Metatarsus I with nine ventrolateral and lateral spines, the distal pair far removed from the apical position . Tibia II with 12 long overlapping, ventrolateral, two prolateral, and two retrolateral spines. Metatarsus II with nine ventrolateral and lateral spines . Palpus very similar to that of P. sedentarius . Female Carapace 2 .25 mm long, 1 .68 mm wide, immaculate . Female resembles the male in lacking pigmented pattern, in coloration , in eye arrangement, and cheliceral dentition . The epigynum appears to be identical with that of P. sedentarius (Fig. 168). Legs 4123 . Tibia I with 11 ventrolateral, three prolateral, one retrolateral, and on dorsal spine . The ventrolateral spines are long and overlapping . Tibia II with ten long , overlapping ventrolateral spines ; and two prolateral, two retrolateral and one dorsal spine .
Total Length: Male Carapace 2 .20 mm long, 1 .57 mm wide; Female Carapace 2 .25 mm long, 1 .68 mm
Distribution in North Carolina
Comments: Southeastern United States
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)

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Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Dry forests, mixed pine and hardwood, oak, turkey oak.
Observation Methods: Pitfall traps, litter sifting.
Abundance/Frequency: Summer
Behavior: . It appears to be a species developed in cavernicolous isolation, perhaps during periods of glaciation, where it acquired some of the modifications, i .e ., reduced eyes, reduced pigment, spine and sense organ modifications, not unusual in cave-dwelling species .
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks:
State Protection:
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