Micrathena gracilis (Walckenaer, 1805)

Dean, David Allen, 2016, Catalogue of Texas spiders, ZooKeys 570, pp. 1-703 : 60-61

Micrathena gracilis (Walckenaer, 1805)

Micrathena gracilis Agnew et al. 1985: 7; Bonnet 1957: 2868; Breene et al. 1993c: 12, 47, 100, mf (figs 144A-C); Brown 1974: 232; Dean et al. 1982: 254; Dondale et al. 2003: 146, mf, desc. (figs 299-306); Jackman 1997: 161; Jones 1936: 69; Levi 1978: 433, mf, desc. (figs 55-68); Taber and Fleenor 2005: 281 (fig. 12-11); Vogel 1970b: 5; Young and Edwards 1990: 15

Distribution.

Eastern ½ Texas; Aransas, Archer, Bastrop, Brazos, Burleson, Cameron, Comanche, Dallas, Erath, Goliad, Gonzalez, Grayson, Hardin, Harris, Houston, Jim Wells, Liberty, Montgomery, Nacogdoches, Red River, San Patricio, Travis, Walker (imm.), Wichita

Locality.

5-Eagle Ranch, Buescher State Park, Decker’s Prairie, Ellis Prison Unit, Goose Island State Park, Lick Creek Park, Nabor’s Lake, Palmetto State Park

Time of activity.

Male (May - July); female (January, May - November)

Habitat.

(crops: cotton); (grass: pasture); (littoral: along creek, creek bank, on tree fungus and marsh edge); (nest/prey: mud dauber nest [pen f] Chalybion californicum ); (soil/woodland: forest, woods, Quercus buckleyi ); (web: web by creek)

Method.

Beating/sweeping [mf]; sweeping [m]

Type.

Carolina (of 1805)

Etymology.

Latin, slender

Collection.

DMNS, MCZ, MSU, TAMU