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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Chelicerates (Chelicerata) » Arachnids (Arachnida) » Spiders (Araneae) » True Spiders (Araneomorphae) » Entelegynae » Long-jawed Orb Weavers (Tetragnathidae) » Leucauge

Genus Leucauge

Classification · Pronunciation · Synonyms and other taxonomic changes · Numbers · Identification · Range · Works Cited
Orb Weaver - Leucauge argyra Small spider - Leucauge venusta Memphis Bioblitz 2016 Spider - Leucauge venusta - female Leucauge venusta? - Leucauge venusta Tiny Spider - Leucauge venusta Spider id needed. - Leucauge venusta Spider 1 - Leucauge venusta
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Chelicerata (Chelicerates)
Class Arachnida (Arachnids)
Order Araneae (Spiders)
Infraorder Araneomorphae (True Spiders)
No Taxon (Entelegynae)
Family Tetragnathidae (Long-jawed Orb Weavers)
Genus Leucauge
Pronunciation
Loo-ka-u-gee
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
See the World Spider Catalog.
Numbers
There are 4 species in North America:
L. argyra
L. argyrobapta
L. licina
L. venusta
Identification
Comparison of L. argyra (left) and L. venusta (right):

The markings of L. venusta and L. argyrobapta are generally similar in shape. Where their ranges overlap (coastal southeast US except for most of Florida, where L. venusta is not found), a distinction can typically be made by looking at the markings on the dorsal posterior abdomen:
L. argyrobapta has bright orange/red markings.
L. venusta has silver or yellow markings.
This distinction is generally not visible in alcohol-preserved specimens.

If performing identification via genitalia, a mature male palp is needed to distinguish L. venusta from L. argyrobapta, as there are no reliable differences in female epigyna.(1)
Range
L. argyra - Florida to Brazil
L. argyrobapta - Coastal southeastern US to Brazil
L. licina - West Indies, now in south Florida
L. venusta - USA, Canada
Works Cited
1.Species delimitation of the North American orchard-spider Leucauge venusta
Jesus A. Ballesteros & Gustavo Hormiga. 2018. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 121:183-197.
Contributed by Troy Bartlett on 16 February, 2004 - 1:20pm
Additional contributions by Robin McLeod, Lynette Elliott, Jeff Hollenbeck, cheins, Tyler Hedlund, Nathaniel Green, chuuuuung
Last updated 30 March, 2023 - 5:00pm

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