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
Abdomen	One of the two main body segments of a spider. It contains the reproductive organs, heart, and spinnerets.
Affinis (aff.)	Species affinis, typically abbreviated to affinis or aff., shows that the organism in question is related to, but not identical to, a different indicated species.
Anchor Line	A silk thread attaching the main spider web to the substrate (often vegetation).
Anterior Lateral Eyes	The pair of eyes on the front side edge of the cephalothorax.
Anterior Median Eyes	The pair of eyes on the front middle of the cephalothorax.
Capture Line	Silk threads in a web used for prey capture. They typically make up most of the web.
Cardiac Mark	A marking on the midline of the abdomen that moves slightly with respiration.
Cephalothorax	One of the two main body segments of a spider. It contains the eyes, legs, brain, and sucking stomach.
Chelicerate	Mouthparts of a spider, located at the front of the cephalothroax. They contain fangs that inject venom into their prey.
Confer (cf.)	Conferatur, typically abbreviated to confer or cf., shows that the organism in question should be compared with an indicated species, but it is uncertain whether they are the same or distinct.
Coxa	The first leg segment, attached to the ventral cephalothorax and trochanter. Sometimes, the digestive system extends partly into the coxae.
Crepuscular	Awake and active during dawn and/or dusk.
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.
Patella	The fourth leg segment, or knee, attached to the femur and tibia.
Pedicel	A structure that connects the abdomen to the cephalothorax.
Pedipalp	Thin, elongated appendages used for taste and smell, located at the front of the cephalothorax. They are attatched to palpal bulbs in male spiders.
Posterior Lateral Eyes	The pair of eyes on the back side edge of the cephalothorax.
Posterior Median Eyes	The pair of eyes on the back middle of the cephalothorax.
Refuge	A protective structure the spider builds or brings onto its web, to shield itself from predators. For example, a curled leaf, a silken funnel, or a decoy exoskeleton.
Sheet-Tangle Web	A 3-dimensional web consisting of a basket, dome, or sheet of silk, accompanied by a loose tangle of silk. They are build by some spiders (e.g., Kapogea, Litoporus, Mecolaesthus).
Silk	An organic fibre spun by spiders to build their webs
Spinneret	An external organ used for spinning silk, located on the abdomen tip or on the ventral side of the abdomen.
Stabilimentum	A silken web decoration built by spider, potentially used to lure prey through reflecting ultraviolet light or camoflague the spider (i.e., act as a refuge). Examples of stabilimenta shapes include a spiral, X-mark, oval, or zig zag.
Sternum	The bottom side of the cephalothorax
Tangle Web	A 3-dimensional web of loose silk strands build by some spiders (e.g., Architis, Argyrodes, Chrysso).
Tarsus	The seventh (final) leg segment, attached to the metatarsus and claws.
Tension Line	An extra silk line on a web used to pull the rest of the web taut. When prey approaches the web, the tension line is severed and the web rebounds like a slingshot.
Tibia	The fifth leg segment, attached to the patella and metatarsus. It is typically long.
Trashline	A collection of dirt and/or exoskeletons arranged on a web for defense. The spider either hides among the trashline, or uses the trashline as a decoy.
Trochanter	The second leg segment, attached to the coxa and femur. It is typically quite short.
Tubercule	A rounded nodule or protrusion extending from the abdomen.
Ventral	The bottom side of the body. The part of the spider that can be viewed from below.