Zelotes nilicola
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adult female, live; body coloration is a diagnostic feature |
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adult male, live |
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adult males, dead |
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female genitalia; epigynum |
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male genitalia; palp, ventral view |
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grape size comparison with adult spiders; male (left), female (right) |
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spiderlings, live |
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spiderlings, dead; dorsal (left), ventral (right) |
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egg sac |
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egg sac with scale (cm) |
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non-spherical egg |
Current valid name
Zelotes nilicola (O. Pickard-Cambridge) (family Gnaphosidae)
Recognition and diagnostic features
Small black spider. Spinnerets in this family are diagnostic in that they are composed of one segment and are cylindrical (most spiders are two-segments and conical).
Related or similar species
Phrurotimpus mateonus, Erigone dentosa
Spider
Body lengths when mature: male: 2.75 ± 0.43 mm, female: 2.95 ± 0.28 mm
Immatures resemble miniature adults, although they may be lighter in color when small.
Egg sac
Description: flat-bottomed, flattened cone sac usually placed in a depression, so heavily covered with detritus that it would be highly unlikely to discover one in the field, probably always laid on bark and never on or in grapes, eggs are oblong like a jelly bean rather than round
Number of eggs per sac: 10.9 ± 2.7
Size of egg: 0.64 ± 0.039 mm
Time of year eggs are likely to be laid: at least in July, possibly before and after
Distribution
In California: southern portion of state
Elsewhere: Mediterranean, Canary Islands, Burkino Faso
Not native to North America
This species has been transported or become established outside of its range.
Biology
Hunting spider. Probably nocturnal or active in litter. Can be found under vine bark.
Status in table grapes
Level of Incidence: uncommon
Level of Concern in New Zealand: WPNZ (May 2010) nr, BORIC (Dec 2011) nr (not listed), MAF-BPRA (2002) nr (coding definition)
Level of Concern in Australia: WPAU (2006) nr (coding definition)
Level of Medical importance: none
Common name
None for species, ground spiders for family
Taxonomic history
Several synonyms from 19th century Europe, but stable in the 20th century.
Selected references
Platnick, N. I., and M. U. Shadab. 1983. A revision of the American spiders of the genus Zelotes (Araneae, Gnaphosidae). Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 174: 97-192.
