Using this Guide

Reading Entries

Each entry in this guide corresponds to a unique morphospecies.

A morphospecies is a species assignment based on the appearance of the specimen. In our lab, we assigned morphospecies based on both the appearance of the spider and the spiderweb. Our morphospecies codes consist of the lowest taxonomic rank determined for the species, along with a unique number for each morphospecies. For example, if we have three Cyclosa spiders that look different from each other, we will assign them the morphospecies ‘cyclosa.sp1,’ ‘cyclosa.sp2,’ and ‘cyclosa.sp3.’ If we have two Anapis spiders that look identical, we will assign them both the morphospecies ‘anapis.sp1.’

Web Type:

Which kind of web the spider builds. Either orb, tangle, or sheet-tangle.

Refuge:

Whether or not the spider builds a protective structure beside/on the web.

Spider Pictures

spider.sp1

Araneae

Anapidae

Unknown

2019.NRP.W7.14

Black-coloured spherical abdomen, with eight legs. Black-coloured cephalothorax. Black legs, chelicerae, eyes, and pedipalps. Leg 4 is much longer than other legs.

Locations: Place, Area, Country (elevation); Place, Area, Country (elevation)

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YYYY.LLL.W0.00

YYYY.LLL.W0.00, YYY.LLL.W0.00, YYYY.LLL.W0.00, YYYY.LLL.W0.00, YYYY.LLL.W0.00

Description:

Detailed description of the appearance for members of the morphospecies.

Locations:

Places we have found spiders of this morphospecies.

Spider #

Year

YYYY.LLL.W0.00

Location

Transect #

Spider Codes:

The codes of spiders we have found of this morphospecies.

Taxonomy:

Here, the order, family, and genus of the morphospecies is provided. Sometimes, we do not know the family or genus, so those sections will remain blank. Clicking the box with order, family, or genus will take you to that page. All families are listed on the Araneae page.

Understanding Descriptions

The descriptions of morphospecies entries often contain terminology specific to spiders. In this section is a crash course on basic spider anatomy, as well as provide a glossary of terms.

Spinnerets

Dorsal View:

Abdomen

Cephalothorax

Pedipalp

Palpal Bulb (Males)

Chelicerae

Fangs

Femur

Patella

Tibia

Tarsus & Metatarsus

Claws

Posterior Median Eye

Posterior Lateral Eye

Anterior Lateral Eye

Anterior Median Eye

Ventral View:

Epigynum (Females)

Coxa

Glossary

Term	Definition
Diurnal	Awake and active during the day.
Dorsal	The top side of the body. The part of the spider that can be viewed from above.
Epigynum	The external genitalia for females, located on the ventral side of the abdomen. During copulation, the palpal bulb is inserted into the epigynum.
Epigynum	The external genitalia for females, located on the ventral side of the abdomen. During copulation, the palpal bulb is inserted into the epigynum.
Femur	The third leg segment, attached to the trochanter and patella. It is typically long.
Funnel	An addition to a web that acts as a refuge from predation. It consists of a funnel of silk, often shielded within debris. The spider sits at the end of the funnel, emerging for prey capture.
Gravid	Carrying eggs, as in a female ready to leave an egg sac.
Hub	The centre of a web, where the spider is typically found.
Metatarsus	The sixth leg segment, attached to the tibia and tarsus.
Nocturnal	Awake and active during the night.
Orb Web	A 2-dimensional spiral web build by some spiders (e.g., Chrysometa, Cyclosa, Micrathena).
Palpal Bulb	The copulatory organ for males, located at the ends of the pedipalps. The bulbs are reduced in juvenile spiders, and take on a more pronounced shape during sexual maturity. The bulb is inserted into the epigynum during copulation, and breaks off.