Linyphiid - Linyphantes victoria

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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Chelicerates (Chelicerata) » Arachnids (Arachnida) » Spiders (Araneae) » True Spiders (Araneomorphae) » Entelegynae » Sheetweb and Dwarf Spiders (Linyphiidae) » Sheetweb Spiders (Linyphiinae) » Linyphantes » Linyphantes victoria

Photo#726844

Copyright © 2012 Kyron Basu

Linyphiid - Linyphantes victoria -

Cowichan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
November 28, 2012
Size: ~2.4mm body length

Found on a tarp. The epigynum reminds me of Linyphantes, but this one is quite different in coloration from any I've seen!

This set was taken with a Canon SX40 HS superzoom I got yesterday. I'm having a blast with it! I stuck a Raynox DCR-250 on for the habitus shots, and reversed an old 50mm lens for the epigynum/metatarsus ones. Surprisingly (and embarrassingly), it holds its own in terms of detail against my more expensive DSLR setup!

I'm not familiar with the camera yet and I think I muddled the white balance, so apologies if the colors look a little weird. Hopefully I can get a proper flash for it soon too. I've got a really clunky optically triggered setup working in the meantime, but it's not fun to use.

Images of this individual: tag all

Linyphiid - Linyphantes victoria - female

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Contributed by Kyron Basu on 30 November, 2012 - 2:31am
Last updated 2 December, 2012 - 10:54pm

ID from Rod Crawford

"The new ventral version you attached is the best yet. Based on this (and the original posterior view) I'd say probably L. victoria. "

This one took a couple of tries with the epigynum using different lighting methods. Many thanks once more to Rod for his guidance and patience!

Moved from Spiders.

… Kyron Basu, 2 December, 2012 - 10:54pm

Linyphantes pualla

Based on what I've been watching you post I would have guessed Linyphantes pualla, but I'll be waiting to see what it really is.

… Lynette Elliott, 30 November, 2012 - 8:07am

...

Not sure, I can't see the same structures in the epigynum. Could be that's due to differences in the angle of the shots, and the ventral one isn't very clear. I've emailed Rod. :)

… Kyron Basu, 30 November, 2012 - 11:31am

I didn't mean that's my guess..

I meant that's what I would have guessed without an epigyne. I don't even look at those images... that'd be a waste of time since we have Rod to help us and more realistically I don't know what to look for anyway. =]

As for the camera.... I think you may be at genius level with camera equipment. I've always been told... it's not your camera it's how well you know how to use it.

… Lynette Elliott, 30 November, 2012 - 2:32pm

...

Oh, yes, it does have a similar pattern on the abdomen. Rod said the coloration can vary this much too. Linyphiid epigynums are confusing. I don't know what to look for either with most of them. :)

While I think there is truth to "it's not the camera, it's the photographer", gear sure helps! :D It can be really simple gear though. Any point and shoot with a Raynox or standard lens (reversed) should give sharp results. The most important bit in my experience is the lighting, especially how it's diffused. I'm now using a diffuser fitted to the Raynox that's based on Hock Ping Guek's design:
http://orionmystery.blogspot.ca/2010/10/mt24ex-concave-diffuser-quick-update.html
but just a single flash since I don't have a twin setup.

… Kyron Basu, 30 November, 2012 - 7:13pm

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