Saturday, June 14, 2008

Trapdoor spider


This morning, THIS is what I found, clinging to our back screen door. Isn't she pretty? Yes, it's a SHE. That much I know for sure. I've got a query out right now on her. She's some spider species of Mygalomorph, like tarantulas and pursewebs. My guess: she's a trapdoor spider.

Isn't she striking?



Monday, June 16, 2008– UPDATE–Allen Dean, a research assistant in the Texas A&M University Insect Collection, replied to my inquiry and confirmed my guess: "That is a trapdoor spider and a nice looking one. I suspect it belongs to the family Cyrtaucheniidae."

That night, I released her back outside, along the house, not too far from where I found her on the door.

UPDATE, February 2, 2024 – This is a southwestern trapdoor spider (Eucteniza relata)!

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