TEGENARIA PARIETINA (FOURCROY, 1785)

(FIGS 1E, F, 21N–R)

Aranea parietina Fourcroy, 1785: 533.

Aranea phalangiodes Fourcroy, 1785: 535.

Tegenaria domestica: Walckenaer, 1805: 49, pl. 6, figs 53, 54 (misidentified); Audouin, 1826: 312, pl. 1, fig. 2 (female, misidentification); Blackwall, 1861: 163–165, pl. 11, fig. 105 (misidentification).

Tegenaria murina Walckenaer, 1805: 50; Walckenaer, 1842: 6, male.

Tegenaria saxatilis C. L. Koch, 1834: 125, pl. 20, male.

Trichopus libratus ‘C. M.’, 1834: 10; synonymized by Murphy & Merrett (2000: 7).

Tegenaria guyonii Guérin-Méneville, 1829 –1844: pl. 2, fig. 1; Walckenaer, 1842: 5, male; Lucas, 1846: 241, 242.

Tegenaria intricata C. L. Koch, 1841: 29, 30, figs 610, 611.

Tegenaria parietina: Simon, 1875: 59–61, pl. 5, fig. 4.

No type material available.

Other material examined

Albania (1 ♂); Belgium (8 ♂); Bulgaria (3 ♂); Croatia (3 ♂, 4 ♀); France (3 ♂, 3 ♀); Germany (3 ♂); United Kingdom (1 ♂); Greece (11 ♂, 22 ♀); Italy (22 ♂, 55 ♀); Malta (1 ♀); Portugal (1 ♀); Spain (8 ♂, 10 ♀); Switzerland (2 ♂, 2 ♀). Africa: Algeria (1 ♀, 2 ♀); Egypt (1 ♂, 2); South Africa (1 ♂); Tunisia (1 ♂). Asia: Israel (4 ♂, 2 ♀); Lebanon (5 ♀); Syria (1 ♂); Turkey (3 ♂, 2 ♀). Central America: West Indies (1 ♂). South America: Paraguay (1 ♂)

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Diagnosis

See the Diagnosis section for Teg. ferruginea. See also Oxford & Merrett (2000).

Description

Information about the high levels of variation was provided by Oxford & Merrett (2000). Good drawings of male and female were also provided by Locket & Millidge (1953), Roberts (1985), and Levy (1996). Some additional information is provided here.

Measurements: Female (N = 1): CL 5.32, CW 3.92, STL 2.44, STW 2.29, OL 5.92, OW 4.01. Leg I (7.30, 2.11, 6.90, 7.58, 3.06), II (6.59, 1.93, 6.07, 6.75, 2.76), III (5.62, 1.59, 4.61, 5.70, 2.17), IV (7.09, 1.99, 6.28, 8.45, 2.61). Pedipalp (2.28, 0.89, 1.39, 2.22). EPL 0.56, EPW 1.29, ATL 0.30, ATW 0.73. Eyes: PME 0.20, PLE 0.22, AME 0.18, ALE 0.23. Eye distances: PME–PME 1 x PME, PME–AME 1 x PME, PME–PLE 1 x PME, PME–ALE 1 x PME, AME–AME 0.5–1 x AME, AME– ALE <0.5 x AME. CLY1 2.5–3 x AME, CLY2 1.5 x ALE.

Male palp: RTA with three branches, ventral branch broad, lobe-like, distally moderately protruding, distinct ridge, lateral branch broad and flat, protruding, distally obliquely truncated, dorsal branch strongly sclerotized, protruding, as long as wide, distally obtusely and obliquely pointed, anteriorly with a stepped, small point. Filiform embolus length about 2.5 x CB, originating at 8 o’clock position, distal tip at 3 o’clock position. Conductor with distal portion strongly elongated and moderately curved, lateral margin completely folded. Terminal end bifid, ventral part short, simple rounded plate, dorsal part platelike, shorter than ventral part. Connection of conductor to tegulum moderately sclerotized. MA originating at 6 o’clock position, strongly protruding, distally with hook-like sclerite. MA membranously connected to tegulum. Basal part of tegulum clearly visible, with undulated margin.

Epigyne and vulva: Epigyne medially with small, pale, membranous area. Posterior sclerite expressed as extensively sclerotized bar with anterior margin concave (semicircled). CO laterally of the membranous median area between this area and the posterior sclerite. Epigynal ‘pseudo teeth’ absent. Vulva consists of CBD, no distinct RC recognizable. Only very first part (CD) of CBD moderately sclerotized, the rest strongly sclerotized and convoluted, with a smaller anterior (not really a spiral) and a larger posterior spiral region. Ducts are separated by more than three duct diameters. FD only represented by small, leafshaped appendages.

Other important characters: Cheliceral promargin and retromargin both with four teeth. Colulus developed as trapezoidal plate with the distal margin medially notched. Same pattern of distal spigots on PMS (in females) as described for the type species. PLS with distal segment as long as basal segment. Tarsal trichobothria on cymbium and palp tarsus present. Tarsal trichobothria eight to ten. Small teeth on paired claws of leg I 13–14. Leg spination: leg femora (1–3–2–0 or 1–3–3–0, 1–3–2–0, 1–3–2–0, 1–1– 2–0), patellae (all 2–0–0), tibiae (0, 0–1–0–1 or 0–2– 0–1, 2–2–1–2, 2–1–1–2 or 2–2–2–2), tarsi (I–IV 0, sometimes IV 0–0–1–0).

Coloration: Margin of carapace with three crescentshaped, darkened spots, dorsally with two symmetrical longitudinal dark bands, strongly serrated, sometimes not continuous. Sternum with distinct pale median band, posteriorly very narrow or fused (sometimes with small dark spot in the middle of the posterior half of the pale median band), and three symmetrical pairs of pale dots laterally. Opisthosoma dark brownish, laterally moderately yellowish mottled, dorsally with a reddish median band, in some specimens strongly expressed, in others absent. Anteriolaterally of red median band, short black bands and more laterally yellowish. More posteriodorsally there are one or two symmetrical white spots and four to five indistinct chevrons more posteriad. Legs annulated, very differently expressed. Colulus partly darkened, ALS moderately darkened, PLS with basal segment darkened, distal segment pale.

Distribution

Reported from the Mediterranean region and Central and northern European countries. Also reported from Central and South America (probably introduced).

Discussion

Individuals of Teg. parietina are the largest spiders of the genus. It can often be found at the entrances of caves but never deep inside, and in buildings. Specimens of this species show high levels of variation in size and in the intensity of the colour pattern, ranging from almost grey and lacking annulations to distinctive patterns with annulations.