Very small red/orange spider for ID - South East Derbyshire

nikolai_avenger · #1 (**permalink**) 19-10-2011, 07:59 PM

Hello..

Can anyone put a name to this very small (3mm max) spider? It has got me stumped.

Found in my kitchen in Sawley, S.E. Derbyshire on 12 October 2011.

Many thanks in advance. Nik.

MattPrince · #2 (**permalink**) 20-10-2011, 06:22 AM

its not one i've encountered, but it reminded me of one of the early "6 eyed" illustrations in roberts - not to hand sadly - ?oonops pulcher? Googled that and it looks like a possibility..

Cheers,
Matt

No.9 Spider · #3 (**permalink**) 20-10-2011, 07:32 AM

Oonps sp. is a good candidate, especially if it Was very fast?

nikolai_avenger · #4 (**permalink**) 20-10-2011, 08:46 AM

Good suggestion - I've had a look at Oonops and it looks like it could be; certainly the eye arrangement fits with this. The only thing bothering me is that there is no way this particular spider could be described as 'very fast', in fact, quite the opposite. It had a style of locomotion that could only be described as sauntering. It was very....deliberate....in its movement. This is how I managed to get some pictures in the first place.

Cheers. Nik.

No.9 Spider · #5 (**permalink**) 20-10-2011, 11:37 AM

Having looked at the photo on the laptop, rather than my 'phone I'd say it's Oonops. They can usually move at great speed when disturbed, provided it's not too cool. All the ones I've found indoors have been Oonops pulcher (Roberts states "rarely found indoors" for this), despite the other being called Oonops domesticus!