TEGENARIA DOMESTICA (CLERCK, 1758)

(FIGS 1A–D, 2C, 16W, X, 17A, B, 18A–C)

Araneus domesticus Clerck, 1757: 76–79, pl. 2, tab. 9, figs 1–4, in part.

Aranea domesticus: Linnaeus, 1758: 620 .

Aranea derhamii Scopoli, 1763: 400 .

Aranea longipes Fuesslin, 1775: 61 .

Aranea flava Martini & Goeze, in Lister (1778: 291.)

Aranea tomentosa Martini & Goeze, in Lister (1778: 230).

Aranea annulata Martini & Goeze, in Lister (1778: 230).

Aranea civilis Walckenaer, 1802: 216 .

Tegenaria civilis: Walckenaer, 1805: 49 .

Aranea domestica: Treviranus, 1812: 25, figs 14–16, 20, 23–27.

Arachne familiaris Audouin, 1826: 315, pl. 1, fig. 6.

Agelena civilis: Sundevall, 1831: 20, 1832: 127 .

Tegenaria scalaris Krynicki, 1837: 73 .

Tegenaria longipes: C. L. Koch, 1841: 36, fig. 617.

Agelena familiaris: Walckenaer, 1842: 23 .

Philoica civilis: C. L. Koch, 1850: 26 .

Tegenaria cretica Lucas, 1853: 524 .

Drassina ochracea Grube, 1861: 171 .

Nyssa familiaris: Simon, 1864: 212 .

Tegenaria dubia: Blackwall, 1864: 177 .

Tegenaria testacea Simon, 1870: 278, female.

Tegenaria domestica: Simon, 1875: 73 .

Tegenaria fontium Simon, 1875: 79 .

Tegenaria modesta Keyserling, 1878: 594, pl. 14, fig. 17, only male (the female, fig. 18, clearly belongs to Tegenaria pagana).

Tegenaria detestabilis Pickard-Cambridge, 1877: 275 .

Tegenaria derhamii: Hansen, 1882: 43, pl. 3, fig. 4.

Coelotes calcaratus Keyserling, 1887: 470, pl. 6, fig. 32a.

Coelotes plumarius Bishop & Crosby, 1926: 200, pl. 25, fig. 50.

Mevianops fragilis Mello-Leitão, 1941: 119, figs 3, 4.

Coelotes amygdaliformis Zhu & Wang, 1991: 2, figs 8, 9.

Tegenaria domesticoides Schmid, Geisthardt & Piepho, 1994: 111, 112, fig. 21, pl. I: fig. 1, female, syn. nov.

Draconarius amygdaliformis: Wang, 2003: 520 .

Types

No type material available for Teg. domestica and Teg. modesta .

Sub Tegenaria domesticoides: Holotype. Cape Verde: Santa Antao, Ribeira do Paul, ♀ (SMF, 37531, epigyne lacking!), 12.i.1993, Schmidt.

Paratype. Cape Verde: Sao Nicolau, Monte Gordo, ♀ (SMF, 38579), 20.i.1993, Schmidt .

Other material examined

Austria (1 ♂, 2 ♀); Belgium (1♂, 3 ♀); Bulgaria (1 ♀); Czech Republic (32 ♂, 78 ♀); France (22 ♂, 13 ♀); Germany (28 ♀, 18 ♂); United Kingdom (1 ♂, 1 ♀); Greece (1 ♂, 6 ♀); Italy (3 ♂, 5 ♀); Macedonia (3 ♂, 5 ♀) ; Poland (1 ♂, 1 ♀); Portugal (3 ♀); Slovakia (1 ♂, 14 ♀); Spain (5 ♀); Switzerland (1 ♂, 1 ♀) . Asia: China (2 ♂, 7 ♀); Japan (2 ♀); Lebanon (1 ♂); South Indian Ocean (?) (3 ♀) ; Sri Lanka (1 ♀); Turkey (2 ♂); Tibet (1 ♀) . Australia: (1 ♂, 2 ♀) . North America: USA (6 ♂, 9 ♀) . Central and South America: Argentina (1 ♂, 2 ♀); Chile (2 ♂, 1 ♀); Costa Rica (1 ♂); Ecuador (2 ♀); Mexico (1 ♂, 1 ♀) .

Diagnosis

Tegenaria domestica shows a distinct RTA (similar to Teg. annae sp. nov.; all other Tegenaria species quite different), a truncated, very distinct terminal end of embolus (comparable but distinctly different in Tegenaria mercanturensis and Tegenaria mirifica), and the drop-shaped, terminally bifid conductor. The epigyne has a strongly sclerotized posterior sclerite with the anterior margin concave (similar in Teg. annae sp. nov., Tegenaria adomestica Guseinov et al., 2005, Teg. ferruginea, Teg. parietina, Teg. tridentina) and a simple, irregularly globular vulva.

Description

Measurements: Male (N = 1): CL 4.35, CW 3.25, STL 2.25, STW 2.0, OL 4.5, OW 2.4. Leg I (5.1, 1.7, 4.95, 5.45, 2.65), II (4.6, 1.65, 4.5, 5.05, 2.45), III (4.5, 1.6, 4.0, 5.0, 2.15), IV (5.65, 1.6, 5.35, 6.8, 2.5). Pedipalp (1.85, 0.61, 0.76, 1.27–1.64), bulbL 0.67. Female (N = 3): CL 4.0–4.1, CW 2.8–2.9, STL 2.0, STW 1.75– 1.85, OL 4.1–4.5, OW 2.75–2.85. Leg I (3.9–4.0, 1.5, 4.0–4.1, 4.9, 2.35–2.5), II (3.75–4.0, 1.35–1.45, 3.5– 3.75, 3.6–3.85, 2.0–2.1), III (3.5–3.8, 1.35–1.4, 3.0–3.2, 3.7–3.75, 1.75), IV (4.5–4.7, 1.45–1.5, 4.0–4.25, 5.0– 5.35, 2.0–2.1). Pedipalp (1.92, 0.77, 1.15, 1.81). EPL 0.38–0.4, EPW 0.60–0.70, ATL 0.1, ATW 0.48. Eyes: PME 0.17, PLE 0.17–0.2, AME 0.13–0.16, ALE 0.16– 0.18. Eye distances: PME–PME 1 x PME, PME–AME 1.5 x PME, PME–PLE 1 x PME, PME–ALE 1 x PME, AME–AME 0.5–1 x AME, AME–ALE 0.5 x AME. CLY1 2–2.5 x AME, CLY2 1.5–2 x ALE.

Male palp: RTA with two branches, lateral branch tusk-like shaped, dorsal branch broad and strongly sclerotized, distally obliquely truncated, lateroventral ridge present, inconspicuously expressed. Broad embolus length about 3/4 x CB, terminally truncated, originating at 9 o’clock position, distal tip at 1– 2 o’clock position. Conductor drop-shaped with distal portion moderately elongated, lateral margin almost completely folded. Terminal end bifid, ventral part short, simple and pointed, dorsal part plate-like. Connection of conductor to tegulum moderately sclerotized. MA and originating at 5–6 o’clock position, strongly protruding, distally with spoon-like sclerite. MA membranously connected to tegulum. Basal part of tegulum barely visible.

Epigyne and vulva: Epigyne medially with a pale, membranous area. Posterior sclerite expressed as sclerotized bar with anterior margin concave, limiting atrial area posteriorly. CO between and laterally of the membranous median area and the posterior sclerite. Epigynal ‘pseudo teeth’ present. Vulva consists of distinguishable CD, RC, and FD. CD very short leading into globular, irregularly formed RC, separated by about their diameter. FD only represented by small, leaf-shaped appendages.

Other important characters: Cheliceral promargin with three, retromargin with three to four teeth. Colulus developed as trapezoidal plate with the distal margin medially notched. Female with four to five minor ampullate and cylindrical gland spigots distally on PMS, two to three medially prominent and two laterally. PLS with distal segment as long as basal segment. Tarsal trichobothria on cymbium and palp tarsus absent. Tarsal trichobothria seven to eight. Small teeth on paired claws of leg I 11–12. Leg spination: male palp (2–0–0–0, 2–0–0, 1–2–0–0 or 2–2–0–0), female palp (2–0–0–0, 2–0–0, 2–2–0), leg femora (2–2–1–0 or 2–2–2–0 or 2–2–3–0 or 2–3–2–0, 2–1–2–0 or 2–2–2–0 or 2–3–2–0, 2–2–2–0, 1–2–1–0 or 2–2–1–0), patellae (all 2–0–0), tibiae [2–0–0–2p or 2–1–0–2p+1 or 2–2–1–3p (dorsal spine inconspicuously), 0–2–0–2+1p or 0–2–2–1p+1+1p or 2–1–0–3 or 2–2–0–2 or 2–2–0–3, 2–2–2–1+1p or 2–2–2–2 or 2–2– 2–2p, 2–2–2–1p+1+1p or 2–2–2–1p+2 or 2–2–2–2+1p or 2–2–2–3], metatarsi [0–0–0–3p+1 or 0–1–1–3p+1, 0–1–0–3p+1 (lateral spines only in males), 0–3–3–3p or 0–3–3–3p+1, 0–3–3–3p+1], tarsi (all 0).

Coloration: Margin of carapace continuously darkened, dorsally with two symmetrical longitudinal dark bands. Sternum with distinct pale median band and three symmetrical pairs of pale dots laterally. Opisthosoma dark brownish, anterior with yellowish median band, continuing in broad chevrons posteriad. Legs annulated, sometimes only coxa and proximal part of femora with dark dots. ALS indistinctly darkened, PLS with basal segment darkened, distal segment pale.

Distribution: Reported from all continents. Probably originating from Europe.