seen from Malaysia
seen from Germany
seen from Maldives
seen from China
seen from Germany
seen from Maldives
seen from Maldives
seen from Malaysia
seen from South Korea
seen from Germany
seen from China
seen from United Kingdom
seen from Italy
seen from Ukraine
seen from Malaysia
seen from Canada
seen from Malaysia
seen from Germany
seen from Australia
seen from Malaysia
most people associate Dysdera with bright reds and oranges thanks to the widespread D. crocata, but the genus is very diverse in its native range. some of my local ones are a very satisfying shiny black instead that spreads even to their legs, making them a translucent mix of red and black depending on the lighting. they are still slippery assholes though
(January 7th, 2025)
#1497 - Dysdera crocata - Woodlouse Spider
Spotted here in Western Australia by Rusti Gardener, which is peculiar because it isn’t known from here. It’s certainly known from parts of the eastern states, but having one show up here is new. There were originally native to the Mediterranean, but are now found across much of Eurasia, South Africa, parts of North and South America, and New Zealand.
They’re distinctive and fearsome-looking spiders up to 15mm long, with six eyes and overly large fangs, frequently found around houses, but their venom causes itchiness in humans at worst. Smaller animals are in trouble, however. The diet is mostly woodlice, since that’s the most common prey in their habitat, but they’ll attack anything else they encounter whilst hunting, including rival spiders and centipedes.
WOODLOUSE SPIDER <3
Saw this guy booking it across a parking lot in the dark. Shined my flashlight on 'em and they stayed still just long enough for me to get this photo, then continued on their way.
Date Taken: 22 September 2023, 05:12
Bug of the Day - Arachtober!
A woodlouse hunter spider (Dysdera crocata) we found with a flashlight while walking the paved path on the night of the Fresh Pond BioBlitz in Cambridge last June.
March Spider the forth, based on this species (hence the colour scheme. The armour like appearance and the fact it is said to have large fangs inspired the look and twin swords.
Was already to colour this one when I decided to flip the canvas horizontally and found out she was smooth criminal-ing so I had to skew and rotate and stuff and then redraw, so the final result is a tiny bit janky.
Everyone one of these I finish some more info on this race filters into my head. Might have to do some Dragon Age style codecs on them when I'm done.
Living under a rock: a Woodlouse Hunter and a Rove Beetle (by Dendroica cerulea)
The beetle actually ran under the spider's legs without being eaten while I was photographing the spider.
Parastalita stygia
...a species of woodlouse hunter (Dysderidae) that has been recorded in Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, and Bosnia. P.stygia was discovered in a cave and like its cosmopolitan cousin it probably lives on a diet of woodlice. However unlike D.crocata this species is much smaller (5-7mm) and has much longer legs.
Phylogeny
Animalia-Arthropoda-Arachnida-Araneae-Araneomorphae-Dysderidae-Parastalia-P.stygia
Images: Fulvio Gasparo
