ID another spider

[P. Novak]

Found in Santa Cruz, CA under a rock about 15 away from the rivers edge. Also about 1.25" DLS.

Sorry for the bad pictures; crappy lighting and the spider wouldn't stop moving. So I had to gently pin it down

 

[froggyman]

Gnaphosidae or k.something or other

 

[pitbulllady]

Pretty sure that's one of the "Running Ground Spiders", Drassodes sp., which is in the Gnapnosidae family. It's NOT a Kukulcania hibernalis.

pitbulllady

 

[froggyman]

ok i kinda generalize and think any dark free running spider is kukulcania

 

[P. Novak]

After looking through a few sites and pictures I think Pitbulllady is right about it being a Drassodes sp., but I am having a hard time with what exact species it is. :wall:

Thanks!!

 

[buthus]

Cant tell how big it is... size?
Interesting looking spider.

 

[P. Novak]

Cant tell how big it is... size?
Interesting looking spider.

I'll take a size reference pic right now, but it's about 1.25 - 1.5" or 3 -4cm.

 

[P. Novak]

Here it is: 1 penny.

 

[8+)]

ok i kinda generalize and think any dark free running spider is kukulcania

Well except for mature males, I don't think there any free running Kukulcania? I know K. hibernalis isn't.

 

[lucanidae]

Looks to me to be Amourabiidae, genus Amaurobius.

 

[8+)]

That's what I think too. The chelicerae (especially the shape of the carapace around them) and what I can make of the eyes would indicate that.

The only thing is that the ones I know of have mottled abdomens.

Can't be a Gnapnosidid anyway, without the characteristic long spinnerets...

 

[P. Novak]

I'll get better pictures for you guys tomorrow, the lighting was bad when i acutally decided to go out and take them. Thanks for your efforts though!

 

[pitbulllady]

Well except for mature males, I don't think there any free running Kukulcania? I know K. hibernalis isn't.

K. hibernalis females DO often leave their web/holes, for whatever reason. I find them in the sink on many occasions, and the janitor at school finds them wandering the halls late in the afternoon after the students have left. He catches them in little condiment/souffle cups and leaves them on my desk at school. Often, though, the wanderers appear to be older females who have probably been ousted from their homes by younger, stronger females, and this does happen. This species has "power struggles" for prime den sites just like "higher" social animals like wolves and lions. The ones I find in the sink, though, are usually healthy, big females, even though there's no webs near the sink or cabinet area, so they have to be out wandering around for some reason. I've got a huge female that I keep at school that was struggling to get out of the sink one morning right before school began in August.

pitbulllady

 

[P. Novak]

Here's some more pictures, still not so good.

 

[Venom]

Callobius, perhaps? It's definitely in Amaurobiidae though.

 

[Black Widow88]

Yep! And it's a cutie!

Black Widow88

 

[P. Novak]

Thanks guys, I think I've narrowed it down to the 3 most likely..

Callobius nevadensis
Callobius olympus
Callobius tehama

If I had to pick I'd say Callobius olympus, since they are located in Santa Cruz and this is where I found mine...


Anyone have an ID key?