Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Numbers
3 species found in bugguide's range.
Range
elevatus - USA - Southern USA, rare in the west.
nephilae - USA - FL only
pluto - USA - From Maryland, Virginia, Missouri, southwest to Chihuahua and Jamaica.
Remarks
Argyrodes spiders (and related genera) are
kleptoparasitic. They live in the outer edges of other spiders' webs and move in to steal prey when the coast is clear. Apparently the method of at least one species (
Argyrodes nephilae) is to attach a line of silk then cut the wrapped prey out of the host web. The bundle swings free and can be taken to the outskirts of the main web to be eaten in relative safety.
In addition, Argyrodes and relatives will sometimes prey on the (much larger) host spider (Exline and Levi, 1962).
See Also
Neospintharus--members formerly considered part of
Argyrodes
Print References
Exline, Harriet and Herbert W. Levi (1962). American spiders of the genus Argyrodes (Araneae Theridiidae). Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology, 127(2):73-202 (
BHL link)
Edwards and Marshall.
Florida's Fabulous Spiders (1)