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@Southern Macro Photographers: BG Needs Anapistula secreta Spider

Bug Guide doesn't currently have any submissions of the teeny tiny spider Anapistula secreta of the family Symphytognathidae. This family contains most of the world's smallest species of spiders, most being only 0.5mm or less. In our nearctic ecozone, there is only one species (Anapistula secreta). They are a very underrepresented and under-studied group of spiders. The species that we would have an opportunity to find has been known to exist in the southern United States.

So all you southern master macro photographers out there, keep an eye out, please! Here are some tips and hints (thanks to (1)):

1) These can be found in leaf litter, hollow logs, and other super-humid microhabitats. Under the best conditions, they will spin a web about 1 meter above the forest floor. These webs can have over 100 radi and are similar in appearance to a regular orb web. You can sprinkle cornstarch over an area of leaf litter and the webs will become visible.
2) The tiny spider will mostly hang out at the hub of the web, but if disturbed will move to the outer periphery.
3) Things to look for: these spiders only have four eyes (only the lateral eyes, which are contiguous).
4) They are yellowish in color, with occasional darker areas.
5) The chelicerae are fused together!
6) The abdomen is higher than long.
7) Females do not have any pedipalps!

If anyone with sufficient macro equipment/capabilities would like to make this a mission, I can mail you some more information on these little mysterious spiders (which would include drawings and an image of their web, etc.) Just let me know.

Thanks, everybody!

Anapistula from California
Could be A. secreta
https://bugguide.net/node/view/2333501

Anapistula secreta
Hello,
I read this post today and wondered if you are still interested in this spider. I have seen and shot a few that might be something you are looking for. I sure could not ID them online, and do not have access to the books necessary.
My email is pixfixer...no spam...@yahoo.com if you would be interested in sending any info to me.

Thanks,
Georgepat

If you could send me the info
If you could send me the info I would love to try and find one. Their habitat closely matches the national forest that backs up to my house.

 
Spider info
Hi, Will. I was away from the computer for a long time and am just barely finishing going thru older email notifications. I can send you the info on this spider if you can shoot me your email addy. Your page here didn't have one listed.

Add me to the hunt! I live i
Add me to the hunt! I live in SW Florida and I shoot in marshes, flag ponds and woods of all kinds here. Im a macro junkie so this will be a real challange!

Please email any additional info to EclipsePhotographyLLC@yahoo.com

 
Info sent
Thanks, Simon! I sent the info off to that address you gave, so if you didn't receive it, please let me know.

South FL here!
Hi Mandy,
I don't know about my macro capabilities being "sufficient" I'm a bit of an amateur ...but hey, I seem to be in the right place for your mission and would love to help if I can. If you like please send me the info also to livane@hotmail.com. Here's to beginner's luck!

 
Info sent!
If you didn't receive anything yet, let me know. I am notorious for mistyping email addresses! :P

Thank you for offering to help!!

 
Got it
Thanks, will keep an eye out.

Mandy
If you could email me some information I will keep an eye out for them in NM. I have been noticing a lot of tiny spiders out lately so I guess I better get shooting!

 
Email is on its way
Thanks for keepin' an eye out! These tiny spiders are so under-studied... some sources say "southern US" while most collection records seem to stick to the SE states like Florida. But I hope you have luck in NM! Thanks for the help!

Thanks you guys!
I am working on getting some diagrams and info emailed to you. These tiny spiders are so understudied that it's difficult to say what their true ranges are... but hopefully VA and NC are included! Thanks for keeping an eye out for them! It would be very exciting for me, and the spider world, to be able to see some photos of these little ones. :)

Looking in NC ...
I will keep a look out for them in the swamps and bogs here in NE NC. I think I have seen them before, without knowing exactly what they were. I have placed them on my "most wanted" list ...

 
Email malfunction?
Hi, Tollie-- I just sent you some info with diagrams of this species to the address listed on your bio page and it came back to me undeliverable. Was it my mistake or do you have a new address now?

 
E-mail
Should be "r36@embarqmail" with a ".com" on the end - looks right on my bio page - most common mistake is for the Q in embarq to be mistaken for a G ... let me know if you continue to have problems - I have other e-mail addresses ...

 
You nailed the problem...
...I did mistake the Q for a G! Haha. Will try the new address now. :)

If These ...
can be found in VA, I'll be on the lookout.

 
Florida?
You sure don't need to find a microclimate to find super humid in FL. I will try to keep an eye open down here.

 
Florida
...was specifically mentioned as a collection zone in a 1977 publication by Forster & Platnick, so I'd say you're in a great area to find these tiny little spiders. Thanks for keepin' an eye out! I'm sending some info to all of you guys as we speak...

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