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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Chelicerates (Chelicerata) » Arachnids (Arachnida) » Spiders (Araneae) » True Spiders (Araneomorphae) » Synspermiata » Spitting Spiders (Scytodidae) » Scytodes » Scytodes atlacoya

Species Scytodes atlacoya

Classification · Synonyms and other taxonomic changes · Explanation of Names · Identification · Range · Habitat · Food · Remarks · Print References · Internet References

Spitting Spider with egg sac - Scytodes atlacoya - female

Spitting Spider w/ Prey - Scytodes atlacoya

Scytodes pair - Scytodes atlacoya - male - female

mother spider with eggs - Scytodes atlacoya - female

Scytodes sp. - Scytodes atlacoya - female

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Subphylum Chelicerata (Chelicerates)

Class Arachnida (Arachnids)

Order Araneae (Spiders)

Infraorder Araneomorphae (True Spiders)

No Taxon (Synspermiata)

Family Scytodidae (Spitting Spiders)

Genus Scytodes

Species atlacoya (Scytodes atlacoya)

Synonyms and other taxonomic changes

Scytodes intricata Gertsch, 1935a

Explanation of Names

From original description: "The specific name is a noun in apposition taken from Aztec mythology. Atlacoya is believed to be the goddess of drought."

Identification

Palpal organ -

Zepp comment

Color ranges from light orange or tan to dark grey or brown, with contrasting markings.

Typical light to dark marking and color variations:

Other variations:

Range

TX and southern OK, through the Gulf states and north to VA. Apparently introduced.

Habitat

Synanthropic, may occur in undisturbed natural habitats in US range as well.

Webs primarily above ground, underside of tables, chairs, awnings, rooftops, etc. Often found in old, abandoned webs of Latrodectus geometricus and Kukulcania hibernalis.

Sympatric with L. geometricus, K. hibernalis, and likely other synanthropic spiders throughout its range.

Food

Insects and spiders, including conspecifics.

Remarks

Builds webs similar to Latrodectus. Wraps prey after capture.

Mature females often cohabitate with one or more males, and offspring may remain in parent web for several instars.

Despite social behavior, cannibalism does occur, often between battling males.

Print References

Rheims, Brescovit & Durán-Barrón, 2007 : Mexican species of the genus Scytodes Latreille (Araneae, Scytodidae). Revista Ibérica de Aracnología, vol. 13, p. 93-119 (PDF).

Internet References

WSC

Contributed by Cotinis on 29 July, 2020 - 10:57am
Additional contributions by Beatriz Moisset, Jeff Hollenbeck
Last updated 8 January, 2021 - 5:28pm

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