Easter Fox-spider - Alopecosa accentuata
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Species Description
Widespread but scattered and local. Habitat includes: Dry areas with bare ground and lichens and mosses; such as sand, chalk, heathland, downland, coastal landslips, brownfield sites, old quarries. I've recorded it on allotments. Adults seen: March to April.
ID:
Male
Prosoma brownish, median band lighter. Chelicerae greyish brown. Stenrum dark brown. Legs yellowish grey, ventral side of femora, tibiae and metatarsi I-II blackish brown. Opisthosoma: dorsum with angular transverse lines in posterior part, lighter than in females (Almquist, 2005). Body length male: 7.5-9 mm.
Female
Prosoma dark brown, cephalic part laterally with white hairs, median band yellowish brown edged by white hairs. Chelicerae almost black, frontally covered with white hairs. Sternum dark brown to black, with lighter median stripe. Legs brown, with darker annulation. Opisthosoma: dorsum brown, with light median band and light brown cardiac mark, edged by black lines and angles, posterior half with black transverse lines, some forming angles, venter light yellowish brown (Almquist, 2005). Body length female: 7.8-10 mm.
Useful Links:
British Arachnological Society
Genus (11):
Alopecosa / Fox Spiders (5 species)
- Alopecosa accentuata (Easter Fox-spider)
- Alopecosa albofasciata
- Alopecosa cuneata
- Alopecosa fabrilis (Great Fox-spider)
- Alopecosa pulverulenta (Common Fox-spider)
Arctosa / Bear Spiders (5 species)
- Arctosa alpigena
- Arctosa cinerea (Northern Bear-spider)
- Arctosa fulvolineata (Yellow-striped Bear-spider)
- Arctosa leopardus (Leopard Bear-spider)
- Arctosa perita (Sand Bear-spider)
Aulonia (1 species)
- Aulonia albimana
Hogna
Hygrolycosa (1 species)
- Hygrolycosa rubrofasciata
Lycosa (1 species)
- Lycosa hispanica
Pardosa / Wolf Spiders (2 sp. agg., 15 sp.)
species aggregate:
- Pardosa agrestis/purbeckensis sens.lat., sensu Roberts, 1987
- Pardosa lugubris (Walckenaer, 1802) sensu lato
species:
- Pardosa agrestis
- Pardosa agricola (Shore Wolf-spider)
- Pardosa amentata (Spotted Wolf-spider)
- Pardosa hortensis
- Pardosa lugubris
- Pardosa monticola (Pin-stripe Wolf-spider)
- Pardosa nigriceps
- Pardosa paludicola
- Pardosa palustris
- Pardosa prativaga
- Pardosa pullata (Common Wolf-spider)
- Pardosa purbeckensis (Saltmarsh Wolf-spider)
- Pardosa saltans (Common Lugubrious Wolf-spider)
- Pardosa tenuipes
- Pardosa trailli
Pirata (1 sp. agg., 3 sp.)
species aggregate:
- Pirata piraticus/tenuitarsis sens.lat., sensu Bristowe, 1939
species:
- Pirata piraticus (Pirate Otter-spider)
- Pirata piscatorius
- Pirata tenuitarsis
Piratula (3 species)
- Piratula hygrophila
- Piratula latitans
- Piratula uliginosa
Trochosa (4 species)
- Trochosa robusta
- Trochosa ruricola (Rustic Wolf-spider)
- Trochosa spinipalpis
- Trochosa terricola (Ground Wolf-spider)
Xerolycosa (2 species)
- Xerolycosa miniata (Dune Wolf-spider)
- Xerolycosa nemoralis
40 species
- Alopecosa accentuata (Easter Fox-spider) /
- Alopecosa albofasciata -
- Alopecosa cuneata x
- Alopecosa fabrilis (Great Fox-spider) x
- Alopecosa pulverulenta (Common Fox-spider) -
- Arctosa alpigena x
- Arctosa cinerea (Northern Bear-spider) x
- Arctosa fulvolineata (Yellow-striped Bear-spider) x
- Arctosa leopardus (Leopard Bear-spider) x
- Arctosa perita (Sand Bear-spider) x
- Aulonia albimana x
- Hygrolycosa rubrofasciata x
- Lycosa hispanica x
- Pardosa agrestis x
- Pardosa agricola (Shore Wolf-spider) x
- Pardosa amentata (Spotted Wolf-spider) x
- Pardosa hortensis x
- Pardosa lugubris x
- Pardosa monticola (Pin-stripe Wolf-spider) x
- Pardosa nigriceps x
- Pardosa paludicola x
- Pardosa palustris x
- Pardosa prativaga x
- Pardosa pullata (Common Wolf-spider) x
- Pardosa purbeckensis (Saltmarsh Wolf-spider) x
- Pardosa saltans (Common Lugubrious Wolf-spider) x
- Pardosa tenuipes x
- Pardosa trailli x
- Pirata piraticus (Pirate Otter-spider) x
- Pirata piscatorius x
- Pirata tenuitarsis x
- Piratula hygrophila x
- Piratula latitans x
- Piratula uliginosa x
- Trochosa robusta x
- Trochosa ruricola (Rustic Wolf-spider) -
- Trochosa spinipalpis x
- Trochosa terricola (Ground Wolf-spider) x
- Xerolycosa miniata (Dune Wolf-spider) -
- Xerolycosa nemoralis (Burnt Wolf-spider) -