Table Of ContentU)
SPIDERS OF BRITAIN &
I{ORTHERN EUROPE Fü PIDERS
COMPREHENSIVE
H
EASY TO USE . HIGHLY ILLUSTRATED
o 450,species_c-omprehensiveiy illustrared, with 288 colour paintings U OF BNITAIN E¿
and over 1500 drawings
. NonTHERN EURoP
The introduction provides general information on the srructure and
biology of spiders, together with iilustrations ofwebs and egg sacs. F1
. Mr HAE L J.RonERrs
This,is theuldma.tq, comprehensive field guide ro spiders - a musr F
for all arachnophiles everywhere and a viial inrroduction for ajl
other naturalists.
U)
the colour plates are superb Neø Scientist
il'
packed full of informat:ton Nøtwre
much the best book on the subjecr at any price
Natural \l/orld Booþ of the year' OF
Bnncll.¡
&
NonrHrRt
'tí
Eunop¡
- .--,-<(
ISBN 0-00-2199S1-5
, ,r[,[1,r,
il,7.99 8 450 SPECIES ILLUSTRATED
Key to the Families of Northern Buropean Spiders KEY TO THE FAMILIES OF NORTHERN EUROPEAN SPIDERS 39
The cornplete newcomel' to spidels may initiàlly just compal'e the specimen with the Adult female Immature femâle
colour plates and sometimes come up with the correct identification; the expelienced Palp paP
arachnologist will seldom use the keys at all. Between these two extremes, the key
should enable a specimen to be tracked down to the corrcct fàrnily in an ordered
sequence. There is nothing particularly clever or 'scientific' in slavishly using a key
and if you can fìnd a quicker, altemative route to the fàmily, genus, genitalia and final
ìdentification, then use it! However', in addition to being an aid to identifìcation, the
key presents concise details of the characters of each family and it can be a usetul
exercise to work through it, even thongh the specirnen has been identified by gen-
eral appearance alone. As tàr as possible, the key utilises easily visible structlrres,
and is designed to work whether using a stereomicroscope on preserved specimens
incloors, or a field rnicroscope/lens in the field (see p. 32). Where characters are not
tàirly easily seen with the lens in the field, the syrnbol t is f'ollowed by alternative no
guidelines, including any web structul'e. The latter is dealt with in rnore detail under
Webs (p. 61) and reference to this will in any case be of use in the field. Some spi-
ders ale identifiable to species level using the nakecl eye o[ a hand lens. Others wilì
lequire the use of a low-power field microscope or higher-power steleomicroscope
tbr full identification, although it will still be possible to place ther¡ in rhe corecr Adult male Immature male
farnily or-genus. Wren using the key, it is impoftant to start at the begir-rning and work palP
through systernatically. The key is partly dichotomous, but sornetimes several alter- PAIP
natives are given, one aftel the other, partly to avoid confusion and partly to avoid
undue repetition of 'spider not like this'. Any terms used which you do not under.-
stând will be found in The Structure of Spiders (p. l2) or in the Glossary (p. 371),
but the accompanying iliustrzrtions should largely avoid :ury confusion. The size of
a spider is measured fiom the tì'ont of the carapace to the hind tip of the abclomen
and the ranges givel r-eltrte to adults only. Identification to species level usually
re<¡uiles examination of Lhe secondary sexual organs, which ar-e visible externally.
The tèmale epigyne is on the underside of the abdomen; the left rnale palp is illus-
trated f'or each species - usually from the outside, sometimes frorn below. Befbre
stalting the key proper, it is necessary to determine the sex aDd rnaturity of tl-re spec-
imen, since problems may arise with immatrLres. Remember', some large specimens
rnay be immatures of large species; some tiny specimens may be adult.
Preliminary Examination - Sex and Maturity
no ePrgyne
l. Tarsus of palp not swollen or modified in any way 2
Tarsus of palp swollen or rrrodified into compìex structures 3
2 Underside of abdomen with epigyne (a sclerotized structure Differentiation of sex and maturity
or projecting tongue) in the midìine, just in fìont of 4a. Spider with onìy six eyes, grouped closely FOLLOW MAIN KEy FROM 7
epigastric told. ADULT FEMALE
No such epigyne str:ucture visibìe 4 4b. Spider with chelicerae as long as carapace FOLLOW MAIN KEy FROM I
3. Swollen talsus ofpalp smooth, with no projections IMMATURE MALE 4c. Spider not like this and not like the colour illustrations of
Tarsus with various projecting stnlcl,urcs ADULT MALE Pachygnatha andTetragnatha (Plare 26) IMMATURE FEMALE
sp
Ifyour till be possible to identify it ro famiiy or genus
level, but the key will nor apply. A small a in the key
indicates
recorded in Britain.
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40 SPIDERS OF BRITAIN & NORTHERN EUROPE KEY TO THE FAMILIES OF NORTHERN EUROPEAN SPIDERS 4T
The Family Key E These structures visible only in larger species; all cribellate species appear
on Plates 1 and 2; webs of commonest species composed of woolly cribellate
L Chelicerae massive, projecting forwards and as silk which appears bluish when fresh (Webs, p. 62-4).
long as carapace; articulated for upward cribellum cribettum
and downwa¡d (pick-axe) movement.
Posterior spinners with three
segments
Suborder ORTHOGNATHA
(Mygalomorphae) OnIy two
specres rn regron; appearance
unmistakable ATYPIDAE p. 76
-ffi-
spinners from below
caìamistrum
eyes
Atypidae
calamisûum
(Orthognatha)
sc
metatùsus and
tilsus of ìeg lV
Cribellum and calamistrum absent '7
I
3. Head region large, bulbous: characteristic eye arrangement.
Female velvety black; male abdomen scarlet with black
sPots ERESIDAE p. 78
Eresus 6
Chelicerae large, small or projecting, but articulated for
inward and outward (pincer) movement. Posterior
spinners never with more tban two segments
Suborder LABIDOGNATHA (Araneomo¡phae) 2
-^ ooooo o t- ooooo oo
Eresus I
carapace md eyes
Eresidae
Not as above 4
Labidognatha 4. Eyes grouped closely together; posterior media¡s irregular
2. Cribellum present anterior to spinners (reduced in male). in shape. Anal tubercle with fringe of long curved hairs.
Female with calamistrum on metatarsus IV Cribellate spiders 3 Pale yellowish spider with black markings. Adults
2-2.5mrn in length (illusnation next page) OECOBIIDAE p. 89
*,-.li.,:;i+:.
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42 SPIDERS OF BRITAIN & NORTHERN EUROPE KEy TO THE FAMILIES OF NORTHERN EUROPEAN SPIDERS 43
6b. Abdomen either unicolorous brown-grey with no markings
whatsoever, or clearly ma¡ked with two pairs of light
blotches A TITANOECIDAE p. 81
Amaurobiidae
Titanoecidae
Oecobíus ?
?
Amaurobius ?
Oecobiidae
Titanoecct
Not as above 5
Dictyna ?
5. Anterior and posterior lateral eyes widely sep¿rated; meta-
tarsus IV and calamistrurn curved when viewed from side Dictynidae d
ULOBORIDAE p. 90
anterior
laterâ[ 6c. Small spider, 4mm or less; abdominal markings
posterior variable. but not as above. Calamistrum a
lateral eye single row of bristles DICTYNIDAE p. 82
7 Spider with only six eyes, easily seen from above, in a fairlv
compacr group. Male palpal organs relatively simple;
no epigyne in adult female. Haplogyne spiders g
Spider with eight eyes, sometimes in rcws togetheÌ.(laterals
ULoborus Hypt¡otes may be touching), sometimes widely separated (with some
Uloboridae not easily seen at first). Male palpal organs relatively
more complex; adult female with epigyne Entelegyne spiders 9
, 8a. Small spider ( 1.5-2mm.¡.
Anterior and posterior lateral eyes close together 6 Uniformly pale Oonops ?
anterior lateral eye yellow or
pinkish
posterior lateral oo red. Eyes in
eye
compact group
which is
almost
as wide as head OONOPIDAF p. 91
8b. Whole spider markecl
clearly with black Scytodes I
on pale yellow back-
ground. Carapace
appears almost
6¿. Fairly large spider, 5-15mm. Abdominal panem broadly ci¡cular from
sir¡ilar in all species. Calamistrum with double ¡ow of above and
bristles (illustration next page) AMAUROBIIDAE p. 7g humped up from
side and is roughly
the same size as
abdomen SCYTODIDAE p. 92
-il
44 SPIDERS OF BRITAIN & NORTHERN EUROPE KEY TO THE FAMILIES OF NORTHERN EUROPEAN SPIDERS 45
8c. Eyes clustered almost
9b.
to form a
circle. No
abdominal SALTICIDAE p. 179
pattem
DYSDERIDAE p. 93
þsdera ?
Sahicus I
8d. Eyes in three
groups of
t\¡r'o.
Abdomen
usually Salricidae
pwaitthte mclear SEGESTRIIDAE p. 96 9c Spitnhniredrs t oa rhraanlgf-ewda yin f rao Fma nsspvienrnseer s rotow .e pTirgaacshteriac l fsôpldir.a cSlemsa lolne_
spider
HAHNIIDAE p. 253
Segestria I
tracheal
9a. Carapace almost circular; as Wide as long. Anterior median
rest, which are arranged cÌosely
s extremely long; tarsi with
PHOLCIDAE p. 98 Haturiidae Hahnia I
,: 9d. Eyes arranged in hexagonal panem; small anterior medians
may not be visible from directlvabove. Vgry long leg
spines OXYOPIDAEp.206
oo
Oryopes ?
Pholcus 9
/
Pholcidae
Oxyopidae
46 SPIDERS OF BRITAIN & NORTHERN EUROPE KEY TO THE FAMILIES OF NORTHERN EUROPEAN SPIDERS 47
9e. Anterior spinners much larger than the rest and arising frorn or Front face of carapace with a row of four srnall, equal-sized
a large, pale, cylindrical projection. Anterior median eyes anterior eyes, easily seen from above; above an-d behind
larger than the rest; posterior medians small and irregular.
Upper surface of abdomen dark; under surface paìe ZODARIIDAE p. 100
i-
úr@Þp Ncaoratep:a cZee-rlrr-r (Agelenidae) has recurved posterior eyes PISAURIDAE p. 236
unequal in size and conspicuous long spinners.
eyes from above
spinners fìom below sPÌnners liom ø oo
side
OOOO
Zodaríoru 9
Zod,arlidae
9f. Front fàce of carapace with a row of four small, equal-sized
baenhteinrido rt heeysees , an loatr geears pilya ils eoefn ptoì'sotmer iaobr omvee;d aiabno veey easn dand Pisaura Pisaura Dolomedes
firther back a pair of posterior lateral eyes of the sarre
size. From in front, they sometimes appear as three
sepalate rows. From above, a line through the median
and lateral eyes of the posterior row crosses the midline
ahead of the carapace LYCOSIDAEp 209
Pisauridae Pisaura I carying egg sac
Parelosa 9with
egg sac Lycosidae
th Front slope of carapace with a row of four eyes which are
roughly the same size as those in the strongly recurved
posterior row. Eyes closely grouped; separãied by
scarcely more than their diameters. Carãpace paló
yellowish with a pair ofbrown bands running
longirudinally ZORIDAE p. 144
Zorídae
ooo
Zora ?
Pardosa Pardosa TrochostL
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48 SPIDERS OF BRITAIN & NORTHERN EUROPE
KEY TO THE FAMILIES OF NORTHERN EUROPEAN SPIDERS 49
9i Legs III and IV fumished thickly with long, fìne hairs,
contrasting markedly with legs I and II which have sparse, leg I fiom above
very short hairs. Tracheal spiracles just behind epigastric
fold. The only known species hàs an ahnost entirely
subrnerged, aquatic exisrence ARGYRONETIDAE p. 23g
tràcheal
spiracles
leg I frorn side
Ero I
Mimetidae
leg IV leg I 91. Posterior spinners longer than anterio¡s and oftwo segments. Median
spinners easily visible. A series of trictroUortrria, ãFì""-rå'"ri"g
length, present on each tarsus, which also t o, ¡
$ In females of Cryphoeca rhese fearures ãf"fiiu"*J.i.
Argyronetidae to see, but the single, small species has a h^isi"h lv
distinctive appear¿uìce in borir sexes tplate íOj] AGELENIDAEp.240
ej. Tracheal spiracles easily visible half-way between spinners
and epigastric fold. Dorsal surface of abdomen marked
with distinctive dark patches ANYPHAENIDAE p. 146
K<
spinners viewed from below
tracheal
trichobothrium
t spiracles
I l tas us
I
Tegenaria I
Anyphaenidae
9k. Legs I and II, viewed lì'om above, with a series of prominent
curved spines on the inner surface, pointing forwar.ds. Set
between these are srnaller curved spines. Vìewed from the
side,_the metatarsi appear curved. One to three pairs of
small tubercles are present on the abdomen but may be
difficult to see (see illustrations at top of next page) MIMETIDAE p. 257 Agelenidae
Spider not fitting descriptions in 9a to 9l l0
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50 SPÍDERS OF BR]TAIN & NORTHERN EUROPE KEY TO THE FAMILIES OF NORTHERN EUROPEAN SPTDERS 51
10. Eyes black and beady when each viewed from
directly above (occasionally dark blue-grey) û_ Look carefully at the eyes; the extremely hairy male of the European species
and usually surrounded by a paler area 11 MHeicr iraoemusn tahtiart uv sir e( Tsch eonmsi s(iHdeatee)r oips osdoidmaeet)ir.nes hastily misidentified ai tbat óf
d
ö'i
ia.r'à
Eyes pale or pearly when each viewed from above
(apart from anterior.medians, which may be
darker) and often dunounded by a ring of
black pigment
Micrommata
?
Ë[etelopodidae
l1 Posterior row of,eyes, viewed from above, recurved (curved
backwards); sometimes almost straight, but never
procurved (curved forwards). Many species crab-like, 12. Tarsi with th¡ee claws, an upper pair and âsingle rnedian
with legs I and II longer and stouter than the rest; others claw, easily visible and not obscured bytufts of hair';
not at all crab-like THOMISIDAE p. 147 sometimes also with auxiliary foot claws 15
ffi.€
aù cÐot
auxiliary foot claw
Ara¡reidae Theridiidae Linyphiidae
Tarsi-with only two claws which may be partly obscured by
Tibellus ? tufts of hair 13
Xysticus ?
Thomisidae
scopuìa
Posterior row of eyes, viewed liom above, slightly
procurved. All eyes ringed with white. Female
spider entirely green; male with red abdorrinal stripes ,S The claws may be visible with a lens in larger species but impossible to see
along midline and sides HETEROPODID AE p. 147 idne ofitnhietersly. Ihfa tvhee tshpreidee rc lhaawss .b eIef nfr efoeu-rnudn ninin ga , woerb fousuéndd fuonr dceart cshtoinngé Jp, roeyi ,i nit awill
--
52 SPIDERS OF BRITAIN & NORTHERN EUROPE KEY TO THE FAMILIES OF NORTHERN EUROPEAN SPIDERS 53
silken cell with no snare, and if ithas a cylindrical body \¡/ith mousy hairs or oools
iridescence, then ìt will almost certainly have only two claws. The families in
the rest of the key with only two claws a¡e on Plates 2-6 (Gnaphosidae,
Clubionidae, Liocranidae) and a quick glance at t}rese should enable you to
proceed. If the specimen looks like none of these, it may be a web spinner on
the loose (especially males), or could be a three-clawed species which has
abandoned web-spinning altogether.
Clubiona Scotina P hrurolithus
13. Anterior spinners cylindrical, slightly longer than posteriors,
and separated so that median spinners are easily visible
between them (from below). Posterior median eyes
usually oval or irregular in shape (circular in
Scorophaeusanò.someZelotes) GNAPHOSIDAEp. 101
caapaces fron above; spinners from beìow
crapaces from above; spinners from below
e s
?_s oooô
o Q' b o¿ oo s
o o b
I
Drqssodes Scolophaeus Micaria
Clubionidae
Micaria ?
Drqssod.es I Clubiorca 9
Total r¡/idth of eye group less than half the width of carap-a ce
Gnaphosidae at its widest point. Labium as broad as long LIOCRAMDAE p. 136
$ Spinners easily seen with a lens in most species, but ¡of in Micaria where
the characteristic eyes ¿ìre also too small to see properly. These iridescent,
rather ant-like spiders (illustration here and on Plate 5) are easily recognisable
in the field but you should also check the specimen with illustrations of
Phrurolithus (Plate 6) artd Steatoda phalerata (Plate 23).
Anterior spinners cylindrical or conical, and close together,
obscuring the median spinners. Posterior spinners often
slightly longer and occasionally of two segments.
Posterior median eyes circular (see illustrations at top of
following page) 14
Liocranidae
14. Total width of eye group at least half the width of carapace Phrurolithus ?
at its vvidest point Labium appreciably longer than
broad (see illustrations on following page) CLUBIONIDAE p. 124 Agroeca I
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54 SPIDERS OF BRITAIN & NORTHERN EUROPE
KEY TO THE FAMILTES OF NORTHERN EUROPEAN SPIDERS 55
15. Tarsus IV with a comb of serrated bristles on the under
(ventral) sufface (See note, E, below). Legs with very fevv Labium with the front
spines; one or two on each patella, two on each margin not, or hardly,
tibia and norle at all on any of the swollen
femora. Most species
with â¡
Theridíon ?
abdominal pattem or at THERIDIIDAE p. 260
Ieast some liglit markings,
bul a uery few are 17 Maxillae much Ìonger than bload (since they often oroiect
unicolorous grey-black 16 y.llrul]yt you rnay need ro view rhem slþhtly lrom
baedhiundlt)s. Most species spin orb webs; sorñe spin no web as
TETRAGNATHIDAE p. 298
Tarsus IV with no comb of senated blistles. Legs, in welì- maxilla
patterned species, generally with many spines and with at Tetragnathidae
least one, prolaterally, on femur I, but many species with a
unicoÌorous grey-black abdomen have very few spines (see below) 17
can be very t high
nd in males help whether
specìmen
e orb web or a
sheet web (pelhaps supported by criss-cross tlueads), fbllow the key fiom 17.
If from a three-dintensional web mainly composed of haphazard criss-cross
threads (and no well-developed sheer) rhen just follow i6 in the key. If the
specinen has one or more spines on tèmur I, then it has no tarsal comb and you
should fbllow the key from 17. Ifthere are no spines on femur I and the
s(Ppleacteim 2en6 ),h Casy calno saab dcoomniicnaa l( Pplaatttee m2 9t)h eannd c Fherocnk titnhee lliilnluas tr(aPtliaotne s3 o2f) , paalcl hoyfg wnahtihcah Maxillae not, or scarcely, longer than broad 18
have no tarsal comb; go straight to the main text if the specimen rnatches one
of these. The rure Neriene radiata (p. 368) lacks fèmoral spines but has an
unmistakable web (p. 74) If it is none of these then follow the key from 16. If
the spider is grey tight markings, it
may have a tarsal ipoena (plate2l,
p.268), Robertus eonoe (p.295) or
Íhe specíes Enopl main text if the
of these, it is a .money spider, (part of the
ght to p. 345. Although the above is a diversion
ng since it will acquaint you with two very
18.
16. Labium with the front margin rather
swollen and sausage-like. The
single species has a highly
characteÌistic appearance some of
(Plate 25 Nesticus lled taut
celLulanus) and genitalia ur (p. 68).
which are easily THERIDIOSOMATIDAE p. 29?
identified with a lens NESTICIDAE p. 296 Spider, although perhaps with some ofthese characters, not
having them all
19
