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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Chelicerates (Chelicerata) » Arachnids (Arachnida) » Spiders (Araneae) » True Spiders (Araneomorphae) » Entelegynae » Cobweb Spiders (Theridiidae) » Steatoda » Steatoda bipunctata

Species Steatoda bipunctata

Latrodectus?? - Steatoda bipunctata 'Puffy' Spider ID? - Steatoda bipunctata Black spider - Steatoda bipunctata Steatoda - Steatoda bipunctata - female Adult female - Steatoda bipunctata - female Adult male - Steatoda bipunctata - male Adult male - Steatoda bipunctata - male Adult male - Steatoda bipunctata - male
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Chelicerata (Chelicerates)
Class Arachnida (Arachnids)
Order Araneae (Spiders)
Infraorder Araneomorphae (True Spiders)
No Taxon (Entelegynae)
Family Theridiidae (Cobweb Spiders)
Genus Steatoda
Species bipunctata (Steatoda bipunctata)
Other Common Names
Rabbit Hutch Spider
Size
Body length of adult females 4.8 - 7.3mm, of adult males 4.4 - 6.0mm.(1)
Range
Imported (from Europe) and has been officially collected in these localities so far, according to published literature:
      Canada: British Columbia(2), Newfoundland(1)(2), Nova Scotia(1)(2), New Brunswick(1)(2), Quebec(1)(2), Ontario(1)(2)
      USA: Maine(1), New Hampshire(1), Washington (first record for the state from Orcas Island in 2002, see here)
Habitat
Usually found on man-made structures, like barns and garages.
Remarks
Evidence indicates that S. bipunctata, which closely resembles the native S. borealis in size, colour, microhabitat, diet activity, prey selection and utilization, life history, and sexual behaviour, can displace S. borealis.(3)
See Also
Steatoda borealis
Internet References
~ www.eurospiders.com - Images.
~ http://www.araneae.unibe.ch/Steatoda_bipunctata-data-73.html - Diagrams.
~ www.conservation.unibas.ch - (PDF) Evidence for displacement of a North American spider, Steatoda borealis (Hentz), by the European species S. bipunctata.
Works Cited
1.The spider genera Crustulina and Steatoda in North America, Central America, and the West Indies (Araneae, Theridiidae)
Herbert W. Levi. 1957. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology Harvard 117: 367-424.
2.Checklist of the spiders (Araneae) of Canada and Alaska
Paquin, Buckle, Duperre, & Dondale. 2010. Zootaxa 2461: 1–170.
3.Evidence for displacement of a North American spider, Steatoda borealis by the European species S. bipunctata
Martin Nyffeler, C. D. Dondale, J. H. Redner . 1986. Canadian Journal of Zoology.
Contributed by Jeff Hollenbeck on 25 May, 2006 - 8:22pm
Additional contributions by Lynette Elliott, Mandy Howe
Last updated 24 February, 2014 - 7:19am

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