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Genus Larinioides - Furrow spiders

Furrow Spider - Larinioides patagiatus - female

deck orb weaver - Larinioides patagiatus

Larinioides cornutus? - Larinioides cornutus - female

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Subphylum Chelicerata (Chelicerates)

Class Arachnida (Arachnids)

Order Araneae (Spiders)

Infraorder Araneomorphae (True Spiders)

No Taxon (Entelegynae)

Family Araneidae (Orb Weavers)

Genus Larinioides (Furrow spiders)

Other Common Names

Foliate orbweaver - referring to the distinct dorsal pattern (1)

Pronunciation

lar-i-nee-OY-deez

Synonyms and other taxonomic changes

Formerly genus Nuctenea

Numbers

Three species in the US: cornutus, patagiatus, sclopetarius (formerly sericatus). All are fairly widespread.

Size

L. cornutus - Females 6.5 to 14 mm, Males 4.7 to 8.5 mm (2)

L. patagiatus - Females 5.5 to 11 mm, Males 5.8 to 6.5 mm (2)

L. sclopetarius - Females 8-14 mm, Males 6-7 mm (2)

Identification

Separating Females:

L. cornutus have a shiny, bald appearance and shorter legs, and no middle band on metatarsus IV.

L. patagiatus have a more jagged border and a less shiny appearance. It has two pattern forms, but overall is more variable than the other two which is why it can look similar to both other species. L. patagiatus also has a dark middle band on metatarsus IV.

L. sclopetarius have longer legs than the other two species, and it has a dark middle band on metatarsus IV. It also has a darker pattern & a carapace with more white on its borders. It is the least common of the three species. This species is not found in the southeastern states.(2)

Separating Males:

The Gray Cross spider male (L. sclopetarius) can be ID'd by the lack of the cluster of macrosetae, and tibia II is not swollen. Both other species have clusters of macrosetae on tibia II. Compare macrosetae on tibia II here:

L. cornutus (in my opinion this one has shorter, stouter legs)

L. patagiatus

L. sclopetarius (tibia also not swollen)

Range

L. cornutus is more common in the eastern US, the other two are more common in the northern and western states.(1) All three species are Holarctic.

Works Cited

1.	Spiders of the Eastern US, A Photographic Guide W. Mike Howell and Ronald L. Jenkins. 2004. pearson education.

2.	The orb-weaver genera Araniella and Nuctenea H.W. Levi. 1974. Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool. 146(6): 291-316.

Contributed by Eric R. Eaton on 5 October, 2005 - 6:25pm
Additional contributions by john and jane balaban, Lynette Elliott, Jeff Hollenbeck, Chuck Entz, kschnei, chuuuuung
Last updated 11 January, 2021 - 11:19pm

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