Attractively marked spider with prominent spinnerets

[Bruce Williams]

Stony Stratford, Bucks. On fence near large pond.

Size: 4mm

Help with identification appreciated as always:







Bruce

[No.9 Spider]

Looks like a juvenile Wolf spider - Lycosidae species, which one I couldn't guess .




No. 9 Spider

[Action_Man]

Could this be a juvenile Pirata piraticus ? ...

[frits_b]

I agree this looks very much like P. piraticus.

[Bruce Williams]

Thanks for your help guys.

I recall posting a spider for identification in early March that was provisionally identified as Pirata piraticus. A new WAB member 'Ips', also recently suggested P.piraticus as a possible id.

Here's the earlier (2nd March) spider from the same general location (very different colouring but similar markings):



Bruce

[frits_b]

Yep, that also P. piraticus. One of the characteristics of the Pirata genus is that the prosoma is wider than the abdomen, which is clearly visible in this pic.

[Bruce Williams]

Thanks for the helpful info Frits.

Bruce