Theridiidae? 2mm

[JRsbugs]

Hi,

This looks similar but different to another which frits identified as Anelosimus vittatus, the palps are pale instead of dark for one. Can anyone say which it is?

It was on 11th December 2009 on a puddle of water on top of a water barrel. It was stood on the water, maybe trying to snare the very small blue-grey springtail I saw there. It was very cold weather.

Janet

[frits_b]

It's a Theridiid allright, but this doesn't look like A. vittatus to me. It's hard to tell, without a clear dorsal shot. My guess would be either a Theridion species, or Platnickina tincta (aka Keijia t., aka Theridion tinctum)...

[JRsbugs]

Thank you frits, I have pics of another spider which does look like Platnickina tincta and the one I posted looks to be that too.

I had the other one marked as 1.5mm, it was under a Camellia leaf.

[frits_b]

Judging from the dorsal pic of the last spider you posted, I don't think it's P. tincta. The black shape on P. tincta's prosoma is distinctly wedge-shaped, while your spider has a broad bar. Also P. tincta's legs are usually much more distinctly annulated.

I tend to think both of these spiders are Paidiscura pallens, a very variable species, but I have seen ones very similar to these. By the way, like the other species discussed here, P. pallens was also once in the Theridion genus.

[JRsbugs]

That's interesting to know, thanks frits! I have a few of these which to me all look different.

One I had named Paidiscura pallens has a more wedge-shaped dark patch on the prosoma, or is it not 'distinctly' wedge shaped?

These pics were all taken in the same place, but on different dates in May. The first two were at the same time of the same spider, the other pic of probably the same spider was a week earlier and the egg sacs in September.

[frits_b]

Well, I guess you could call it wedge-shaped, but P. tincta's wedge is pointy (at the distal end), while P. pallens's is rounded.

Have a look at this page to see some colour variations of P. pallens:

Fotogalerie Arachnida

[JRsbugs]

That certainly narrows down the small spiders I have left to identify! I have several of those variations, one even has a deep yellow on top of the abdomen with a black patch at the distal end.

I have that site in my favourites, I have checked it for other spiders but it's knowing which genus to look in that makes it more difficult.

Thanks again.