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Tuftlegged orbweaver

Mangora placida

Photo by KarenL
Published on Project Noah
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35.9833, -87.1265

Field Notes

Description:

Tiny spider - see last pic for size comparison with a penny, that fell out of a columbine seed-head when we shook it!

Habitat:

Below cliffs overlooking Harpeth river.

Notes:

A number of these little guys fell out when we shook some columbine seed-heads!

Reference Links:

Species Mangora placida - Tuftlegged Orbweaver - BugGuide.Net

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (10)
Apple
Excellent, glad you found an ID.
KarenL
Jump on a plane Carol - they are everywhere round here! :)
KarenL
I have updated the ID. This is the first image for this species for Tennessee on BugGuide & the only one (so far!) on Project Noah!
KarenL
Thanks Apple! I've submitted this to bugguide so hopefully one of their experts will recognize it otherwise i will have to trawl through their site!
Apple
Excellent. That should help you get an ID. Doing more research it seems like it could be a member of Theridiidae family often called cobweb spiders. They hang in gardens.
KarenL
How fascinating Apple - they are so different! I think mine maybe a dome web spider of some kind as it was starting to produce a web in the pot while I was photographing it. I've put in an ID request with bugguide.
Apple
So, I am fascinated by this one.... I found this in some research...don't necessarily think that it is this one but thought it was interesting. It is two flower crab spiders mating..notice the smaller male that is brown and white... http://bugguide.net/node/view/464007
Apple
Has the shape and structure of a flower crab spider but have never seen one like this and seems very small unless it is a spiderling.

Spotted for Missions

Mission
International Spider Survey
Mission
Spiders of Tennessee
Mission
Wildlife of Goose Creek
Photographed
PublishedMarch 8, 2012

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