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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Chelicerates (Chelicerata) » Arachnids (Arachnida) » Spiders (Araneae) » True Spiders (Araneomorphae) » Entelegynae » Cobweb Spiders (Theridiidae) » Robber Spiders (Argyrodes) » Argyrodes elevatus

Species Argyrodes elevatus

Classification · Explanation of Names · Size · Identification · Range · Habitat · Life Cycle · Remarks · See Also · Print References · Works Cited
Somebody's pulling the golden silk spider's chain - Argyrodes elevatus Somebody's pulling the golden silk spider's chain - Argyrodes elevatus Dewdrop Spider - Argyrodes elevatus - female Argyrodes male. Species please? - Argyrodes elevatus - male Dew Drop Spider - Argyrodes elevatus Argyrodes? - Argyrodes elevatus Argyrodes sp. in Metepeira sp. web - Argyrodes elevatus - male Argyrodes? - Argyrodes elevatus
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Chelicerata (Chelicerates)
Class Arachnida (Arachnids)
Order Araneae (Spiders)
Infraorder Araneomorphae (True Spiders)
No Taxon (Entelegynae)
Family Theridiidae (Cobweb Spiders)
Genus Argyrodes (Robber Spiders)
Species elevatus (Argyrodes elevatus)
Explanation of Names
Argyrodes elevatus Taczanowski, 1873
Size
Body length 3-4mm (1)
Identification
Voucher specimens (Det. Lenny Vincent):
- Female
- Male
Range
se US, CA / south to S. Amer. (1)
Habitat
This species is often found in the webs of other spiders, such as Nephila & Argiope.
Life Cycle
Egg sac:
Remarks
This is a kleptoparasite that steals small insects from the orb webs of other spiders, as well as pillages large prey items that have already been caught and often predigested by the host spider.
See Also
Young females are often difficult to separate from Argyrodes nephilae; they are, however, always larger.(1)
Print References
Smith, D.T. 1980. Predation by Argyrodes (Theridiidae) on solitary and communal spiders. Psyche 87: 349-356.
Vollrath, F. 1979. Behaviour of the kleptoparasitic spider Argyrodes elevatus (Araneae, Theridiidae). Animal Behaviour 27(2): 515–518.
Works Cited
1.American spiders of the genus Argyrodes (Araneae, Theridiidae)
Harriet Exline & Herbert W. Levi. 1962. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology Harvard 127(2):75-204.
Contributed by Lynette Elliott on 14 March, 2010 - 1:31pm
Additional contributions by Mike Quinn, Mandy Howe
Last updated 24 October, 2014 - 12:59pm

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