Woodlouse spider
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Woodlouse spider | ||||||||||||||||
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| Dysdera crocata C. L. Koch, 1838 |
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D. interrita |
The woodlouse spider (Dysdera crocata) is a species of spider that preys exclusively upon woodlice.
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[edit] Appearance
Female specimens are 11-15 mm long whilst males are 9-10 mm. They have a dark-red thorax and legs, and a yellow-brown abdomen. Notably, they have disproportionately large jaws.
[edit] Distribution
D. crocata has a cosmopolitan distribution.
[edit] Behavior
They are usually to be found under logs in warm places, often close to woodlice. They have been found in houses. They spend the day in a silk cocoon and hunt at night without the use of a web. Their diet comprises exclusively of woodlice which — despite their tough exoskeleton — are pierced easily by the spider's large jaws.
The reproduction of these spiders is typically aggressive. They risk injury from each other's jaws. The female lays her eggs in a silk cocoon and is thought to look after her young after hatching.
They have been known to bite humans if handled. Their venom is not generally dangerous; however, in very rare occurrences it can be fatal as a result of an allergic reaction if medical attention is not administered.
[edit] References
- Platnick, Norman I. (2008): The world spider catalog, version 8.5. American Museum of Natural History.
- Rodriguez Gil, S. G., L. M. Mola, A. G. Papeschi & C. L. Scioscia (2002). Cytogenetic heterogeneity in common haplogyne spiders from Argentina (Arachnida, Araneae) (PDF). Journal of Arachnology 30: 47–56. doi:.
[edit] External links
- Pictures of Dysdera crocata (free for noncommercial use)
