Arachnids of North Carolina
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View Nesticidae Members: NC Records

Nesticus carolinensis - Linville Caverns Spider


Taxonomy
Order: ARANEAEInfraorder: AraneomorphaeFamily: Nesticidae                                                                                 
Comments: 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.
Identification
Online Description/Photos: BugGuide Google, iNaturalist, Wikipedia, GBIF
Comments: 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 area of thorax with a depression armed with a cluster of 7 or 8 long brown hairs; a few scattered hairs in the eye region, on the clypeus and along the margins of the cephalothorax; chelicerae rather long, cylindrical, armed sparsely with short, light brown hairs; claw of chelicera sinuous, the lower margin of the furrow with a row of minute teeth, the upper margin with three brown teeth and a row of 7 or 8 long, light brown hairs; eyes eight, in two rows, the anterior row, viewed from in front, forming a nearly straight line, the anterior median eyes very small, separated from one another by slightly more than the diameter of one of them, and from the lateral eyes by about twice as much; posterior eyes in a slightly procurved line, the median eyes slightly larger than the lateral, separated by about three times the radius of one of them. and from the lateral by about the diameter; all eyes nocturnal and, except anterior median, elongate oval in outline; endites of the palpi widely separated at base, the distal margins with a sharp ridge and the disto-mesal margins truncated and bearing dense scopulae; labium about twice as wide as long and with scarcely an indication of a groove separating it from the sternum; sternum smooth and shining, strongly convex, broadly heart-shaped and produced behind, between the coxae of the fourth legs, into a squarely truncated lobe, sternum armed with scattered long, browTi hairs; legs damaged in capture but generally long and slender; coxae globose; trochanters short; femora cylindrical, slightly tapering distally; patellae short, arched above; tibiae slender; metatarsi slender, about as long as tibiae; tarsi about half as long as metatarsi; paired claws long, curved and armed at base below with series of about 11 slender teeth increasing in size distally; third claw smooth, about half as long as others and bent ventrally at the middle of its length; all legs armed sparsely with short, light brown hairs and many longer, stronger spinelike bristles which increase in size, number and length on the distal segments. Femur of palpus moderately long, cylindrical; patella short, arched above and bearing dorsally one very long and several shorter spines, ratio of length of patella to that of tibia as 4 to 15; tibia one and one half as long as patella, strongly swollen and armed ventro-laterally with tw^o very long, curved spines and numerous smaller ones at the distal margin and distributed around the segment; cymbium long and narrow and provided with a basal, lateral apophysis which is very large, trough-shaped and armed, on either side of trough, with a strong pointed tooth; distally the apophysis is produced into three prongs, the dorsal one long, sinuous and serrated along the distal margin; the middle piece thin and broad and squarely truncated, the ventral part more slender, somewhat twisted and strongly serrated distally. Bulb of palpus large with the long, slender, curved embolus arising from the ventro-lateral side at base and curving forward around the mesal side. Color. Cephalothorax and its appendages bright yellow; abdomen above dirty white with a suggestion of paired gray spots on dorsum; sternum with the margins dusky; venter of abdomen with grayish blotches in front of epigastric furrow and spinnerets. Female. Length 3.5 mm. Similar to the male in general appearance and armature but with the thorax and basal segments of the legs lighter yellow; margins of thorax dusky and with faint tinges of dusky behind the eyes and in a triangular patch in front of median depression of thorax; abdomen globose, marked above, on a dirty white ground color, with five or six pairs of large, faint grey spots; epigynum protuberant and consisting of three lobes, the center one with paired openings at the margin behind.
Total Length: Very small, male 4.5mm, female 3.5mm.
Structural photos
Distribution in North Carolina
Comments:
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: Cave
Observation Methods:
Abundance/Frequency:
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status: SR FSC
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: S1 G1?
State Protection:
Comments:

 Photo Gallery for Nesticus carolinensis - Linville Caverns Spider

Photos: 23

Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn on 2023-06-17
Avery Co.
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Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn on 2023-06-17
Avery Co.
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Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn on 2022-08-03
Avery Co.
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Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn on 2022-08-03
Avery Co.
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Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn on 2022-08-03
Avery Co.
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Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn on 2021-08-06
Avery Co.
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Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn on 2021-08-06
Caldwell Co.
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Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn on 2021-08-06
Caldwell Co.
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Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn on 2021-08-06
Watauga Co.
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Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn on 2020-07-13
Burke Co.
Comment: Juvenile in web
Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn on 2020-07-13
Burke Co.
Comment: Egg sac, not tended.
Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn, Bryce Jaynes on 2020-07-13
McDowell Co.
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Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn, Bryce Jaynes on 2020-07-13
McDowell Co.
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Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn, Bryce Jaynes on 2020-07-13
McDowell Co.
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Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn, Bryce Jaynes on 2020-07-13
McDowell Co.
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Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn, Bryce Jaynes on 2020-07-13
McDowell Co.
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Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn, Bryce Jaynes on 2020-07-13
McDowell Co.
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Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn, Bryce Jaynes on 2020-07-13
McDowell Co.
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Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn, Bryce Jaynes on 2020-07-13
McDowell Co.
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Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn, Bryce Jaynes on 2020-07-13
McDowell Co.
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Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn on 2020-07-13
McDowell Co.
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Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn on 2020-07-13
McDowell Co.
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Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn on 2020-07-13
McDowell Co.
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