Pholcidae

Jitter spider

Jitter spiders ( Pholcidae ) are very small to medium sized True spiders with very long and slender legs. Worldwide, 1340 species in 90 genera known this family. In Germany, Austria and Switzerland four genera and five species have been demonstrated; However, their diffusion is confusing and neighboring Zonobiome are much richer in species. The home in German-speaking jitter spiders have migrated from the eastern Mediterranean. In coastal areas of Europe they are almost completely absent; in Belgium they are replaced by pantropical species and replaced in Western and Southern Europe dither spiders of the western Mediterranean.

Jitter spiders be confused because of some similarities, mainly because of the very long legs in proportion to body, often with harvestmen ( Opiliones ).

Genera of the shake spiders in Central Europe

Within the dither spinning, the eye position is a determining characteristic to the genus; they can be seen only with a reflected light microscope.

• Spermophorides ( three representatives in Spain, France )
• Spermophora ( ostmediterran, immigrated to Austria, Switzerland )
• Psilochorus ( subtropics of America, in Europe in greenhouses and basements ) Psilochorus simoni also in the field

Way of life

Jitter spiders weave irregular and diffuse three-dimensional spatial network expansion and of considerable size, through which they move skillfully and put them in a position to overwhelm even much larger animals.

The silk of non- cribellate jitter spiders is extremely stretchy and wool -like aufgekräuselt few exceptions dry ( without glue ). Thus, it is insects, but usually impossible to free and other arachnids themselves. Escape responses of prey animals usually lead to an even stronger involvement in the three-dimensional space networks; larger animals sometimes also destroy the network. A network is constantly being built and can also overlap with the networks of other conspecifics, for example, in the Great jitter spider Ph. phalangioides: It is found in central Europe almost exclusively in buildings, especially in basements. The other local representatives of the family prefer more or less protected sites, tree hollows and rock caves of the Free State. Jitter spiders are nocturnal.

The eponymous in German-speaking behavior of the genus Pholcus to tremble at risk in the network, do not show all types. The tremor is a fast Hinundherschwingen that is to confuse the attacker, because for predators is the spider "invisible".

Photo Gallery

Jitter spider with Eiballen

Jitter spider with young animals in the skein

Closeup of a male spider jitter

Jitter spider ( Pholcus sp.) With pups

Swell

• Heimer, Stefan; Nentwig, Wolfgang: spiders of Central Europe. Paul Parey, Berlin, 1991, ISBN 3-489-53534-0.
• Foelix, Rainer F.: Biology of spiders. Thieme, Stuttgart 1979, ISBN 3-13-575801- X
• Jones, Dick: The Cosmos spiders leader. Franckh'sche Verlagsbuchhandlung, Stuttgart 1980, ISBN 3-440-06141-8