Would anybody like to take a shot at ID'ing this sling?

Tim Benzedrine

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It was very small and I had difficulty photographing it. It's a little grainy due to having to enlarge it enough to make it's features visible. To my eye, the most distinguishing marks are the pits on it's abdomen, but I'm not sure if that's a helpful feature for identification.
 

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Peter_Parker

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Looks like an araneid... does it have a series of black spots at the posterior end of the abdomen?

---------- Post added 10-01-2011 at 03:45 PM ----------

could be Araniella sp. if it does (?)
 

Tim Benzedrine

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Araneid. That would be one of the orb-weavers, right? This guy is really small, smaller than a grain of rice, so even with a fairly strong magnifying glass it is difficult making out features, so it's hard to say if it has spots on the posterior.

I just did some image searches and I'd say you are on the right track and possibly right on the money in regard to the species as well.

I may release him on a small shrub I overwinter here in the house. There ought to be some small prey items living in it, if the creepy crawlies that usually emerge from it each year when I bring it indoors are any indication. Last year there was an ant colony in the soil.
 

Tim Benzedrine

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Alrighty, he had set up housekeeping in the Styrofoam cup so I rounded him up again and I think you have nailed it. Note the spots!





A rough image comparison makes me believe it might be Araniella displicata. What do you think? I could be wrong, but regardless, you got me close enough to where I am satisfied! Thanks!
 

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Peter_Parker

Arachnobaron
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Oh yeah, definitely looks like one of the members of that genus... they are really small, even as adults.. Was it in a web when you found it?
 

Tim Benzedrine

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No, it was on the kitchen table!:eek:

I'm kind of used to seeing interlopers. We grow several houseplants, many of which go out on the porch when the weather gets nice. And then when we bring them in when it starts getting cool...well, you probably know what can happen then. Of course, this house isn't exactly an impenetrable fortress anyway, houseplants or no house plants.
 
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