Pisaura mirabilis I think

[Geoff F]

In my greenhouse today. Think it is Pisaura mirabilis but it is a bit early, although greenhouses are meant to be early.

The dark abdominal markings are very dark compared to any that I have seen before, but they are variable and being early can tend to produce darker markings.

The legs look a bit short, but that might just be the camera angle.

So, just to double check; am I correct or have I overlooked another alternative?

ps. Poor light and didn't have time to get a macro lens; only had a 135mm on the camera, hence rather poor photo.

[Jason Green]

Hmm... distinctively marked. It looks different... but in doubt of however many other Nursery Webs we have around I'll say you're right.

The pics' not bad

[Geoff F]

I've had another look through my book and can't really see anything better. I did consider that a form of Pardosa might be a possibility but the eyes look totally wrong to me.

Probably a juvenile male P. mirabilis, I think the males can be more distinctively marked than females and a juvenile could have overwintered in the greenhouse.

Disturbed a couple of different spiders while seed sowing in the greenhouse today. They quickly ran off but looked a bit like juvenile Tegenaria species, which is quite possible.

Seed sowing with spiders for company must mean Spring is just around the corner!

Geoff.

[Venger]

Certainly looks like a P.mirabilis.
It definitely not a Pardosa

[Jason Green]

So, pardon the pardosa, Geoff !!

[Geoff F]

Thanks for the confirmation. The trouble is that being a total beginner with spider ID, if everything doesn't key together perfectly I start to doubt myself instead of questioning whether it could be a slight subject variation instead.

But looking at Janet's black Pisaura in the following post, anything is possible.