I.d.

[genious_gr]

I caught this beauty on Saturday. Any ideas of what species it is? I've never seen anything like it here. In one of the pics you can see it sitting on a 2 Euro coin. It's 1 inch in diameter.

 

[genious_gr]

2nd one

 

[genious_gr]

last one

 

[pixi14369]

looks like some sort of trapdoor..not sure of what kind though

 

[genious_gr]

Dont think its a trapdoor, found it under a stone

 

[Venom]

Great find man! That is the female of Eresus niger ! If I remember correctly, it is a rare and protected species. According to my little book : "Eresids live under a stone at the end of a silken tube from which a web extends beyond the stone between plant stems. The web resembles that of a funnel weaver, but is not as clean and new looking. Some have a color over tube. Males may be brightly colored."

 

[genious_gr]

Great!

Now I'll feel guilty for keeping a protected species

Are males VERY different from females??

Think I should release her?

BTW, your book is right about everything, the description is perfect....

EDIT: I found a pic of a male:

http://www.nsu.ru/community/nature/photos/kosterin/miscel/eresus.htm

 

[Venom]

I found this on the net : "This spider is very rare and is protected in some countries." --from

http://www.rochedalss.qld.edu.au/spider/ladybirdspi.htm

Whether or not "some countries" includes Greece, I'll leave up to you to find out.

 

[genious_gr]

Well, i've done some homework as well, and found a bit more detailed article, but nothing that says where it is protected.
Well, I'm keeping her for, now. Maybe I'll find a male, who knows!!!!
And it's not called Eresus Niger anymore, its called
Eresus SomethingelseIdontremembernow.

 

[Venom]

Yep, I found that out too. It is now...drum roll..... Eresus cinnaberinus! ( like it really matters what they call it anyway )

 

[spider]

Hey, I thought that was a lady bird spider eresus walckenaerius

the male in my book looks just like the one in that pic but i got a different name i could be wrong?














Later cody,

 

[Emanuele]

The correct name is Eresus niger and it's protected only in France as I know.
The males are smaller, with a very red opisthosoma pointed with four black spots.
It's a very intereseting species!
Keep it into a tank with high level soil so it can dig his hole to catch the preys....
Regards
Emanuele

 

[genious_gr]

Hi guys, I though I'd give you an update. She made an eggsack that popped before I could take it so I had to search all over the cage for the slings. I found some but untill now only two have made it and hopefully I'll be able to release them in the spring... here are a couple of pics... in one of the pics you can see the tip of a match for size comparison....

<Edit: the server I tried Doesnt seem to support remote linking>

 

[genious_gr]

Well, here's the first pic....

 

[genious_gr]

with it's brother... or sister...

 

[spider]

Damn,i want one!!!
o-well.........