Tiny Spider ID

[Little Grey Spider]

I'm usually pretty good at at least getting it to family, if not a solid ID... but I'm stumped. It was in a Parasteatoda web, but looks to be a pirate spider (which *would* make sense) but it doesn't match any Mimetidae available through my resources which admittedly aren't the best. It's so small and was so flighty that I couldn't get a good look at the eye arrangement- even with a microscope. But these images were taken through my old scope. Anyone recognize her? Because I sure don't.

 

[Andee]

why do you think it's in the mimetidae family?

it looks closer to a parasteatoda to me...?

 

[USMuscle9403]

I agree with Mimetidae, the "spiny" legs give it away.

 

[Andee]

But mimetidae have spines only on their front legs... so would that mean only their first pair? And if that's so would that mean the supposed "spines" we see on that leg are just hairs?

Can I ask where you generally live Little Grey? Just to see if I can help track her down? Two pairs of eyes are better than one usually and maybe I will run across a possibility in the mimetidae family which would explain the confusion... it's so weird how spiders of the same even species can look completely different. I have a female B. longinqua, new one currently who is fatter than my Queenie girl and also has less extreme markings etc, but they are both obviously girls and the same species.

 

[spotropaicsav]

I'm usually pretty good at at least getting it to family, if not a solid ID... but I'm stumped. It was in a Parasteatoda web, but looks to be a pirate spider (which *would* make sense) but it doesn't match any Mimetidae available through my resources which admittedly aren't the best. It's so small and was so flighty that I couldn't get a good look at the eye arrangement- even with a microscope. But these images were taken through my old scope. Anyone recognize her? Because I sure don't. View attachment 250737 View attachment 250738

This second image is great!

 

[Little Grey Spider]

why do you think it's in the mimetidae family?

it looks closer to a parasteatoda to me...?

So, I'm in New England and I was able to find only two known Parasteatoda sp. in my area.
P. tabulata and P. tepidariorum (which I am overrun with haha). This matches neither. The carapace marking and body shape didn't match, I even looked at images of juveniles, which this thing was only a tiny bit larger than the tepidariorum slings I found a few feet away in another web. The cephalothorax immediately made me think pirate spider. When I put it under the scope, it had the same exact body shape as M. puritanus, but the markings were completely different and it's much smaller than known puritanus specimens I've found. It had two small black Dots down towards the spinnerets that you can't really see in the image in case that helps. Adding an image of M. puritanus so you can see what I mean about the body shape and cephalothorax.

 

[Andee]

She is really pretty for sure, her markings are interesting consider most Mimetidae that I have seen are like in the picture above and more extragavant, she is more subtle but definitely pretty... were the spines/hairs on her legs more spine like or hair like? XD

 

[Little Grey Spider]

She is really pretty for sure, her markings are interesting consider most Mimetidae that I have seen are like in the picture above and more extragavant, she is more subtle but definitely pretty... were the spines/hairs on her legs more spine like or hair like? XD

I honestly didn't see them at the time. I was too busy trying to not lose it. lol

 

[Andee]

XD lmao

 

[Little Grey Spider]

XD lmao

I agree with Mimetidae, the "spiny" legs give it away.

I found it!!!! It's in the family Theridiidae (guess that web was hers!) species Wamba crispulus. A new one for me! Thanks for your input guys. Much appreciated for putting our heads together.

 

[Andee]

Omg they are called an "Itsy Bitsy spider" XD

 

[spotropaicsav]

I honestly didn't see them at the time. I was too busy trying to not lose it. lol

Understandable ha

 

[spotropaicsav]

Omg they are called an "Itsy Bitsy spider" XD

Even "Wamba" sounds cute IMO