Spider ID

[Tiggrx]

This spider has been terrorising my bedroom for the last few nights

Think it is a young Tegenaria but wasn't 100% sure, could anyone confirm. Sorry the pictures not great but he was above me on the ceiling and I was shaking like a leaf

Leg span is about 4-4.5cm

Thanks
Aaron

[No.9 Spider]

Doesn't look like a Tegenaria, though it looks in very poor condition. It looks more like a mature male Philodromus species (Running Crab spider), which are common indoors on floors and ceilings at the moment looking for mates. The size you give over the legs is a little more than I'd expect. I'd also like a second opinion .



No.9 Spider

[Venger]

Looks like a Philodromus sp, not sure which one.
Needs a good feed.
Can you get a better picture?


Not bought anything from abroad recently have you?

[Tiggrx]

Can see where you are coming from with the Philodromus idea but I have never seen one this big. If I am able to catch it I will get an exact measurement as my previous estimate is probably wrong.

It has now positioned itself on the ceiling at the top of the stairs - about the most inaccessable spot in the house, but did manage this picture - not sure if it is any more use than the original one.

[Tiggrx]

How's this for closer


have finally caught it in a glass.

I have to confess it is rather smaller than my earlier estimate - legspan just over 3cm.

It is extremely fast and can climb up the sides of the glass with no trouble at all. Have no idea how I'm gonna build up the nerve to release it...

[Venger]

Well it shows you how hard it is to ID from a picture, as it looks like a completely different spider!
You'll have to get closer I'm afraid.

D'oh guess you did while I was posting this...

Not that it's helping much
Can you get one from the other side? and shots of the palps would be good too

[Tiggrx]

Originally Posted by Venger

Not that it's helping much
Can you get one from the other side? and shots of the palps would be good too

I will try - unfortunately the glass it is in is patterned so would need a very exact angle to get the upper side clearly. What sort of angle does the palps pic need to be?

[Venger]

Well you could always glass and paper him into a tupperware box/bowl, then wait for him to settle (pop him somewhere dark for a while)

I doubt that you'll be able to get good enough palp shots for us to ID (they need to be very close) - make a cup with your hand (that would be the palp), we need to see what fills the cup, if you understand what I'm talking about.
So don't worry about it to much, if you can show any 'spurs' or 'sticky out bits' and shape of the palp would be good.

[Tiggrx]

Originally Posted by Venger

I doubt that you'll be able to get good enough palp shots for us to ID (they need to be very close) - make a cup with your hand (that would be the palp), we need to see what fills the cup, if you understand what I'm talking about.
So don't worry about it to much, if you can show any 'spurs' or 'sticky out bits' and shape of the palp would be good.

Certainly can't manage that close a shot with my lens. Can't see any sign of spurs etc on the palps, they just sort of look like hairy ovoid blobs.
I have managed to transfer him to an unpatterned glass (with much difficulty) but still too much distortion to get a top surface pic. Unfortunately I don't have a clear tupperware box.