Dark Tetragnatha - any ideas?

Geoff F · #1 (**permalink**) 09-04-2009, 07:18 PM

In oak woods beside the estuary, S. Devon.

I think Tetragnatha family but difficult to ID from that angle. Any suggestions as to the species? Possibly a dark T. montana or the rarer T. nigrita.

Quite possibly something totally different.

In a dark area of the woods so I had to use flash to get anything; couldn't get behind to see the 'easy' angle.

aeshna5 · #2 (**permalink**) 09-04-2009, 07:29 PM

Agree it's a Tetragnatha, but I don't think you'll get a confirmed ID from the photo as they need critical examination with a lens.

No.9 Spider · #3 (**permalink**) 10-04-2009, 10:13 AM

The colour of the sternum would indicate it's not T. extensa or T. pinicola (according to Roberts). The most common species are T. extensa and T. montana, the other species being uncommon. A photo showing the carapace could indicate or rule out T. obtusa. T.nigrita sometimes has distinct white markings on the edge of the folium which aren't apparent in what we can see.
I'd say it's most likely to be T. montana all things considered, but as aeshna5 says you never know 100% without close examination.

No.9 Spider

Geoff F · #4 (**permalink**) 10-04-2009, 07:24 PM

Thanks.

Tetragnatha seems a bit scarce in that wood. I saw one T. extensa (probably) last year and that was it. Thousands of Meta segmenta everywhere and quite a few Linyphia triangularis in the autumn.

Will go back when the weather settles down and have another look. I have another unidentified which I also saw last year. Think it might be male and female of Linyphia hortensis or one of the Neriene clan but only took underside shots so I will return for help when I get something more to go on.

Geoff.