Guys can anyone work out what this spider is

[faz]

there you go gazzuk WAB sorted it

[No.9 Spider]

From the abdomen and in particular the legs on this specimen I'm inclined towards S. grossa rather than S. bipunctata.

[wilippa]

Originally Posted by No.9 Spider

From the abdomen and in particular the legs on this specimen I'm inclined towards S. grossa rather than S. bipunctata.

For my own edification could you explain what about the abdomen and legs leads you to this conclusion? I'm still fairly new to spider IDing and don't have anything like your wealth of experience or knowledge. Would appreciate a crash-course... so to speak.

[No.9 Spider]

There are subtle differences in the 'build' of these two species of the genus Steatoda (sizes apart!).
The legs of S. Bipunctata tend to be more stout in appearance and somewhat shorter relative to the body size of the spider, whereas the legs of S. grossa and other Steatoda species are more slender (elegant even!) and longer relative to body size of the spider.
The abdomen of S. grossa (and other Steatoda species) when viewed dorsally has a marginally more slender appearance across it's width and narrows slightly toward the rear of the spider (less pronounced than than true widows though). The abdomen of S. bipunctata in comparison, is similar in measurement both across it's width and length.
Personally it's an overall visual appearance concerning these species and I've always been of the opinion that S. bipunctata somehow doesn't quite 'fit' in with it's counterparts with which it is categorised.

In the era of my icons 'Locket and Millidge' in the early 1950's, S. bipunctata was in fact the only species in the genus Steatoda, the other species now in Steatoda being classed in other genera such as Lithyphantes, Asagena etc.
But I digress................................