The Filmy Dome Spider is a type of Sheetweb spider, a family of spiders known for unique web shaping. This species’ superfine silk is woven into a dome-like sheet. It is a small spider, and it is nocturnal, usually hidden among the leaf litter during the day.
An individual Filmy Dome Spider can display one of a couple of color variations. The black or brown body has distinctive white or yellow stripes down the sides of the abdomen, and a pair of thick white or yellow lines that run down the length of the abdomen. Some are black and white, others are two-toned with a brown head region and black and white abdomen. Paired flecks of sit between these thick lines. Males tend to be smaller than females, and with a more elongated abdomen and club-like pedipalps by the face. Females have a more bulbous abdomen and lack the pedipalps. Look for this spider and its delicate web in wooded areas near the ground or among low-growing plants.
General Characteristics
Taxonomic Hierarchy
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Arthropoda
Class:Arachnida
Order:Araneae
Family:Linyphiidae
Genus:Neriene
Species:radiata
Identifying Information
Scientific Name: Neriene radiata
Category:
Spider
Size (Adult; Length): 7mm to 8mm (0.27in to 0.31in)
Colors: black; white; brown; yellow; orange
Descriptors: white side stripes; thick white lines; small; forest; tiny
Note: An insect's reach is not limited by lines drawn on a map and therefore species may appear in areas, regions and/or states beyond those listed above as they are driven by environmental factors (such as climate change), available food supplies and mating patterns. Grayed-out selections indicate that the subject in question has not been reported in that particular territory. U.S. states and Canadian provinces / territories are clickable to their respective bug listings.
Spider Anatomy
1
Legs: Spiders have four pairs of legs and these are attached to the cephalothorax.
2
Pedipalps: Small appendages near the mouth used as taste and smell organs.
3
Cephalothorax: Contains eyes, head, mouthparts, and legs.
4
Abdomen: Contains various organs related to digestion, reproduction, and web-making.
5
Spinnerets: Used in the production of spider silk for fashioning webs or catching prey.
NOTE: Unlike insects, spiders have both an endoskeleton (internal) and exoskeleton (external).
Colors: black; white; brown; yellow; orange
