Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada

Species Artema atlanta

Artema atlanta female with egg sac - Artema atlanta - female Artema atlanta female with egg sac - Artema atlanta - female Artema atlanta  - Artema atlanta - 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 Pholcidae (Cellar Spiders)
Genus Artema
Species atlanta (Artema atlanta)
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Explanation of Names
Author: Walckenaer, 1837
Size
Body length 8-11mm
Identification
Largest pholcid in the world. Abdomen is globular. Males' chelicerae have a very conspicuous black modification.
Range
"Artema atlanta is the largest pholcid in the world and was introduced to North America. At this time, the only known colonies of this spider in the continental U.S. are in southern Arizona and southeastern California." ~R.J.Adams (June 14, 2009)
Habitat
Synanthropic (on or near human habitations).
Remarks
Web is a domed sheet with a network of irregular threads above it.(1)
See Also
Some Physocyclus (Pholcidae) will look similar in body shape and size.
Print References

Internet References
Image of male, top left corner
Works Cited
1.Spiders of North America: An Identification Manual
D. Ubick, P. Paquin, P.E. Cushing and V. Roth (eds). 2005. American Arachnological Society.