Parasteatoda tepidariorum (C. L. Koch, 1841)
Description
Entrance ducts forming a heart-shaped figure, longer than wide. Prosoma and sternum ochre yellow or brown, mostly irregularly spotted and with dark margin. Chelicerae ochre-yellow, or brown, mostly irregularly spotted. Legs brown, long and stout, with dark narrow annulations. Opisthosoma spotted light brown and dark brown, sometimes with vague pattern.
Body length male: 3.5-6.5 mmBody length female: 3.5-7.5 mm
Additional information
On walls, often in buildings, on tree trunks (there more often P. simulans).
This species can bite humans. A bite causes moderate to severe, long-lasting pain, but no systemic effects (Nentwig et al., 2013).
This species of Asian origin is not native to Europe (alien species). It had been introduced to Europe at least once and did establish.
Distribution
Phenology
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
 |  |
Figures
Pedipalp, ventral view
(Wiehle 1937)
Pedipalp
(Locket & Millidge 1953)
Pedipalp
(Roberts 1995)
Conductor
(Knoflach 1991)
Epigyne
(Roberts 1995)
Epigyne
(Wiehle 1937)
Epigyne
(Locket & Millidge 1953)
Epigyne
(Løvbrekke unpubl.)
Vulva
(Wiehle 1937)
Vulva
(Locket et al. 1974)
Vulva, dorsal view
(Løvbrekke unpubl.)
Distribution List
"No references" does not mean that the species does not occur in this country, but that we have not yet inserted the reference for it. We are working on it.
References
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Arnold K (2001) Beitrag zur Spinnenfauna (Arachnida, Araneae) des Fürstentums Liechtenstein. Berichte der Botanisch-Zoologischen Gesellschaft Liechtenstein-Sargans-Werdenberg 28: 211-244
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Løvbrekke H (unpubl.)
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