Mystery spider? or am I answering my own Q?

HaraKiri

Arachnopeon
Joined
May 4, 2007
Messages
44
I found a spider outside when I was moving cinder blocks out of the way. I caught it inside an old pill bottle and checked it out for a little while. I released it and looked it up on the internet. The closest thing I came to was Tegenaria Gigantea. Are these American spiders or not? I'd read otherwise but am confused by what I saw.

The coloring did seem much more yellowish, but very similar chelicerae and overall external anatomy.

The picture below is what I found. Like I said above, the abdomen and carapace had a brighter yellowish color to it.
 
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pitbulllady

Arachnoking
Old Timer
Joined
May 1, 2004
Messages
2,290
Tegenaria gigantea/duellica IS found in your area, and in many other parts of the US, even though they aren't native to N. America. How large is this spider, by the way? If it's got decent size to it, large enough to eat an adult cricket, I'd love to have it. I've got a small Tegenaria somethingorother that I found here, but am having a difficult time finding food for it and will probably release it. My Phidippus audax, as small as she is, will readily take down a cricket, or an American House Spider(Archaranea tepidariorum), which are very plentiful, with ease. I've been wanting to keep a large Tegenaria and just haven't had much luck finding one.

pitbulllady
 

HaraKiri

Arachnopeon
Joined
May 4, 2007
Messages
44
It was easily a good 2 - 2 1/2". I don't see many large spiders around here, not like I used to.
 

JPD

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 24, 2003
Messages
373
From one Seattlite to another......T.gigantea. It is remotely possible that it is a T.agrestis but it definitely lacks the leg banding to be a T.domestica. Size as a general rule is not a good indicator because there are large T.agrestis and smaller T.gigantea.
If you are willing....and you have a magnifying glass.....have a look at this link. It is not a way to make a definitive ID, however, it will rule out T.agrestis for certain.
http://pep.wsu.edu/pdf/PLS116_1.pdf

Good luck and nice find!
 

widowkeeper

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Apr 9, 2007
Messages
227
i got a few of them a couple weeks back and im almost 100% sure they are hobos largest spiders ive found around here in a long time too. the two i kept both were gravid and have laid sac's. and have no problem taking down large crickets neat spiders imho :)
 
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