Arachnerds: Arachnids of South Corsica

    Murielle Leroy very kindly sent me these Photographs from her trip to
    Corsica in July, 2010
Argiope lobata
    Family - Araneidae
    Genus - Argiope
    Male - 6mm / Female - upto 25mm
    Known as the Lobed Argiope.
    Quite a large Orb Weaving Spider found all over Africa and stretching
    to Southern Europe and into Asia.
    Distinctive zig-zag pattern/ ribboning (stabilimenta) emanating from the centre
    of the Orb Web, thought to be a disguise from predators by camouflaging the
    Spider or making it appear larger.
    A relative of the UK's Wasp Spider - Argiope bruennichi.

    Female.
    Murielle told me that her friend who is responsible for Species Recording
    at the Nature Reserve had never seen this Spider there before.
    "Le sentier des Bruzzi" : "The footpath of the Bruzzi"
    Réserve Naturelle des Bouches de Bonifacio
    South Corsica
    Photo's by Murielle Leroy
July 2010
    ::::::::
    The European or Mediterranean Black Widow Spider - Malmignatte
    Latrodectus tredecimguttatus
Family - Theridiidae
Genus - Latrodectus
    Identified by the distinctive 13 Spots on the Abdomen.
    The Species name is Latin for 'with 13 Spots'.
Females have a painful bite but rarely fatal.

    Female Juvenile. All Black when Adult. 10-15mm (Females)
    Photograph by Candice Durand.
    The Spider was found in her young Son's shoe!
    Pianottoli-Caldarello Village
South Corsica
August 2010
Here is an excerpt from The Life of The Spider by Jean Henri Fabre 1912,
    in which he writes of the Malmignatte:
    ' ..the Malmignatte, the terror of the Corsican peasantry. I have seen her
    settle in furrows, lay out her web and rush boldly at insects larger than
    herself; I have admired her garb of black velvet speckled with carmine red;
    above all, I have heard most disquieting stories told about her. Around Ajaccio
    and Bonifacio, her bite is reputed very dangerous, sometimes mortal. The
    countryman declares this for a fact and the doctor does not always dare deny
    it.'
Murielle informs me that even though this was written 100 years ago, the
locals still think this way.

    Origin of Malmignatte: It malmignatta, fr. mal, malo bad (fr. L malus) +
    mignatta leech.
    (Source - http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/malmignatte)
::::::::

This Crab Spider seems spoilt for choice, or outnumbered!
Photographs by Candice Durand.
Pianottoli-Caldarello
South Corsica
25.04.12

Synaema globosum
Family: Thomisidae
Genus : Synaema
Pianottoli
South Corsica
28.04.12
Photographs and Id by Candice Durand.

False Widow - Steatoda nobilis
Family: Theridiidae
Genus: Steatoda
Pianottoli
South Corsica
29.04.12
Photographs by Candice Durand.

A Jumping Spider - Salticidae
Heliophanus sp.
Heliophanus lineiventris (?)
Pianottoli
South Corsica
11.05.12
Photograph by Candice Durand.

Juvenile

I think these Spiders are Clubiona sp.
Family : Clubionidae

    Steatoda triangulata
    Family : Theridiidae
    Genus : Steatoda
A member of the family known as False Widow Spiders. They are thought to
    have originated from Eurasia.

Harvestman - Opiliones
Relatives of Spiders

Holocnemus pluchei
Family : Pholcidae

Known as the Marbled Cellar Spider.

    I think a type of Money Spider - Linyphiidae.
    Impressive Palps on this Male!
    Pianottoli
South Corsica
17.05.12
Photographs by Candice Durand.

Drassodes sp.
Gnaphosidae
Pianottoli
South Corsica
19.05.12
Photographs by Candice Durand.

Red Backed Jumping Spider
    Phidippus sp.
    Salticidae
    Pianottoli
South Corsica
    25.05.12
Photograph by Candice Durand.

    Juvenile Male Running Crab Spider
    Philodromus sp
Philodromidae
    31.05.12

Spiderlings - I don't know which Species.
Pianottoli
South Corsica
03.06.12
Photographs by Candice Durand.

Male Labyrinth Spider
Agelena labyrinthica
Agelenidae
Pianottoli
South Corsica
04.06.12
Photographs by Jacquet Lorenzo (Aged 10 years).

    Jumping Spider - Salticidae
Female
    Philaeus chrysops (?)
    Candice tells me, the Spider jumped at her Lens and then shied away from
    her camera.
    Pianottoli
South Corsica
    05.06.12
Photographs by Candice Durand.

    A type of Orb Weaver.
    Pianottoli
South Corsica
    14.06.12
Photographs by Jacquet Lorenzo (Aged 10 years).

I think this is Agaleneata redii
Family : Araneidae
Genus : Agaleneata
Pianottoli
South Corsica
14.06.12
Photographs by Jacquet Lorenzo (Aged 10 years).

    I think this is Hogna radiata
    Family: Lycosidae
    Genus : Hogna
    Pianottoli
South Corsica
    15.06.12
Photographs by Candice Durand.

    Holocnemus pluchei with Eggs
Family : Pholcidae

    Pianottoli
South Corsica
    07.07.12
Photographs by Candice Durand.

    I think this is Hogna radiata
    Family: Lycosidae
    Genus : Hogna

    Araneus diadematus
    Pianottoli
South Corsica
    21.07.12
Photographs by Candice Durand.

    I think this is Hogna radiata
    Family: Lycosidae
    Genus : Hogna
    Pianottoli
South Corsica
    23.07.12
Photographs by Candice Durand.

    Female carrying Spiderlings
    I think this is Hogna radiata
    Family: Lycosidae
    Genus : Hogna
    Photographs by Julien Girard
    Figari, South Corsica
09.09.12