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.
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General Characteristics Capability, Shape, Texture/Pattern, Benefits, Dangers
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.
Territorial Map U.S., Canada, and Mexico
Alaska
Hawaii
Prince Edward Is.
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
