Cryptachaea veruculata

Cryptachaea veruculata
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Infraorder: Araneomorphae
Family: Theridiidae
Genus: Cryptachaea
Species:
C. veruculata
Binomial name
Cryptachaea veruculata
(Urquhart, 1885)
Synonyms

Theridion veruculatum
Theridion nigrofolium
Achaearanea veruculatum

Cryptachaea veruculata is a spider native to Australia and New Zealand. It has been introduced into England and Belgium.[1][2] The species has potential to control spider mites and leafroller caterpillars in New Zealand.[2]

Description

Females reach a body size of about 4 mm, males only about 1.5 mm. They sometimes build small webs in flowers and green vegetation, but will also build webs in corners of the outer walls of buildings.[citation needed]

Taxonomy

This species was moved from genus Achaearanea in 2008.[1]

Name

Common names include Diamond Comb-footed Spider. In New Zealand, it is also known as just "cobweb spider".[citation needed]

Notes

  1. ^ a b Platnick 2009
  2. ^ a b Yeates & Williams 2006

References

  • Yeates, G.W. & Williams, P.A. (2006): Export of Plant and Animal Species from an Insular Biota. in: Biological Invasions in New Zealand. ISBN 978-3-540-30022-9doi:10.1007/3-540-30023-6
  • Platnick, Norman I. (2009): The world spider catalog, version 9.5. American Museum of Natural History.

Further reading

  • Yoshida, Hajime (2008): A revision of the genus Achaearanea (Araneae: Theridiidae). Acta Arachnologica 57(1): 37-40. PDF[permanent dead link]