Newb here..hoping for ID on new roommate

SoCal_RT

Arachnopeon
Joined
Oct 13, 2005
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4
This is our new roommate here at our Southern CA home, inland a ways, a little more arid climate.
He/she has a little web covered corner to crouch in and sleep all day. Comes out at night for dinner by the porch light. The abdomen alone is about the size of a dime at least. I would have held a quarter beside him for reference, but to be honest, I was afraid to get any closer. :p
I hope these pics are ok. I shrunk them down for the sake of the moderators...the full size shots are here.

Anyone know what we got here?



Thanks!
 

SoCal_RT

Arachnopeon
Joined
Oct 13, 2005
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4
Murziukas said:
araneus spp?
I thought it looked similar to the orb weaver from the other ID Request threads I went through, but the head is much smaller than most of the others.
I'm a total amateur when it comes to anything insect/spider related, but now I'm intreagued!
 

cacoseraph

ArachnoGod
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Jan 5, 2005
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8,325
SoCal_RT said:
I thought it looked similar to the orb weaver from the other ID Request threads I went through, but the head is much smaller than most of the others.
I'm a total amateur when it comes to anything insect/spider related, but now I'm intreagued!
the trick to id'ing spiders to family is to look at their eyes

specifically the size and location/arrangement of them :)

no guess from me, but good luck :)
 

SoCal_RT

Arachnopeon
Joined
Oct 13, 2005
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cacoseraph said:
the trick to id'ing spiders to family is to look at their eyes

specifically the size and location/arrangement of them :)

no guess from me, but good luck :)
I'll try to get a better shot of her head tonight. She keeps it tucked behind her front legs and it's very hard to get a good closeup. She only comes out at night and my 3.1mp camera isn't the best for getting good low light shots...
 

cacoseraph

ArachnoGod
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SoCal_RT said:
I'll try to get a better shot of her head tonight. She keeps it tucked behind her front legs and it's very hard to get a good closeup. She only comes out at night and my 3.1mp camera isn't the best for getting good low light shots...
take pics through a magnifying glass
i know it sounds silly, but it actually works really well, once you get the hang of it :)
 

NRF

Arachnoknight
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Nov 10, 2004
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SoCal_RT said:
I'll try to get a better shot of her head tonight. She keeps it tucked behind her front legs and it's very hard to get a good closeup. She only comes out at night and my 3.1mp camera isn't the best for getting good low light shots...
The photos are ok. No need to see they eyes on this araneid.
Try to search for Cat faced or Jewel Spider (Araneus gemmoides). I don´t know if this is the same spider but some photos look relatively similar, eventhough your lacks the bumps.
 

SoCal_RT

Arachnopeon
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Oct 13, 2005
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4
NRF said:
Anyway, could this spider also be an A. gemmoides?
http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=31125
Compare for example with the photo down to the left at
http://www.royalalbertamuseum.ca/natural/insects/bugsfaq/jewelspd.htm
But can you trust determinations at websites???
It seems to be in that family, but based on that second link in the description, this one doesn't weave a typical web. It's almost like a funnel spider type web (my ignorance openly exposed here). She has a little tunnel to sleep in all day and the web around the lamp is very erratic and just randomly spun. No geometry.
I put the web and hinge in this shot for reference....
 

NRF

Arachnoknight
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The "tunnel" is her retreat, a hiding place wich most Araneus-orbweavers make. May be at this time of the year she doesn´t make any more webs for catching prey, but only waits for the eggs to appear.
 
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