Anyone Want to Play the I.D. Game Again?

[JdC]

Here are some strange looking spiders that I'd never seen at my cottage before, so I snapped a few shots. I have no idea what species any of these are, so speculation is welcome.

The pictures were taken in northern Ontario, Canada. I found the first spider just sitting on a wall. The second is a jumper who was so quick and small that this is the best pic I could get. The third is a spider with very poor climbing abilities, being very easy to blow off surfaces and also unable to climb glass. The fourth picture is what people up this way call a common "dock spider" and it looks to be hauling an egg sack behind it(?)

 

[NRF]

Just guesses. I think the first one is a Klukluxklania. It is very dangerous. The third and fourth are wolfies, probably both Pardosa.

 

[Venom]

The first looks like a Steatoda bipunctata.

 

[orcrist]

Kukluxklania, of course, unless, though it's unlikely, that it could be a Steatoda.

 

[Venom]

:wall: Give me a break. Go read about spiders. Get outdoors and look at some bugs. You know nothing.....

I'm sorry, but you must tell me exactly why you think it is a klukluxklania. Just saying it is isn't good enough. What, specifically, makes you think of this genus?

 

[JdC]

Are you joking when you say "klukluxklania"?? If not, I would love to learn how and why a spider acquired that name...

 

[NRF]

Ok, I just read two books and Levis paper about Crustulina and Steatoda, and I also saw some bugs outside. So now I have to agree with Venom. The first one is a Steatoda belonging to the bipunctata group. It could also be S. borealis. I don't know it these two can be id'd on habitus alone. Do you know, Venom?

 

[Venom]

loool

Of course not. You certainly can't ID on habitus alone. I mean, just because you pulled the spider out of your nose, it doesn't mean it can't be a Latrodectus. You have to check the spider's ears to be certain. As everyone knows, latros have no ears, so if it doesn't have those, it must be a latro! Seems pretty simple to me. Of course, the general public might have difficulty knowing where to look for the non-ears. If you'd ever eaten a Steatoda, you would know this. No get out of your books, and go spider hunting!;P

 

[Stylopidae]

Just guesses. I think the first one is a Klukluxklania. It is very dangerous.

I don't get it :?

 

[orcrist]

It's a joke related to a topic in the watering hole, and the other joke venom made is in reference to another topic right here in the good old True Spiders forum. Fun, huh.

BTW, it can quite definitely be narrowed down to Steatoda. The banding on the legs and what LOOKS like a light stripe or marking on its back suggest borealis as opposed to grossa, as well.

 

[NRF]

What? Watering hole joke? What is that?:?