Tegenaria, LATREILLE, 1804

Bolzern, Angelo, Burckhardt, Daniel & Hänggi, Ambros, 2013, Phylogeny and taxonomy of European funnel-web spiders of the Tegenaria-Malthonica complex (Araneae: Agelenidae) based upon morphological and molecular data, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society (Zool. J. Linn. Soc.) 168 (4), pp. 723-848 : 774-775

GENUS TEGENARIA LATREILLE, 1804

‘Tapiformes (Vestiariae)’ Walckenaer, 1802: 215. Tegenaria Latreille, 1804: 134 .

Type species

Araneus domestica Clerck, 1757 , by subsequent designation ( Latreille, 1810; Kluge, 2007)

Diagnosis

Agelenid spiders bearing the following characters combination: plumose hairs present (absent in Lycosoides , Maimuna , and Textrix ). AER and PER straight or only slightly procurved or recurved in dorsal view (both rows recurved in Lycosoides , Maimuna , and Textrix ; both rows procurved in Agelena , Agelescape , Allagelena , and Benoitia ) and moderately procurved in frontal view (AER strongly procurved in Agelena , Agelescape , Allagelena , Benoitia , and Malthonica ; AER recurved in Lycosoides , Maimuna , and Textrix ). Cheliceral retromargin with three to six teeth (fewer than three teeth in Lycosoides , Maimuna , and Textrix ; six and more teeth in Eratigena gen. nov.) approximately equally in size (as is in Histopona , all other European genera different). Trochanter straight or slightly curved (notched in Aterigena , Histopona , and Malthonica ). Patellae with dorsal but no lateral spines (as in Eratigena gen. nov., Histopona , and Malthonica ; all other European genera with lateral patellar spines). Absence of ventral spines at all tarsi (as in Eratigena gen. nov. and Malthonica ; all other European genera with ventral spines). Colulus expressed as trapezoidal plate with the distal margin straight or notched medially (in Eratigena gen. nov. more rectangular or w-shaped; colulus strongly reduced in Hadites and Malthonica ; two separated plates in all other European agelenids). Females with one to two minor ampullate gland spigots and two to three cylindrical gland spigots, two to three spigots conspicuously prominent on PMS (as in Histopona , all other European genera different). Male palp: RTA with a lateroventral ridge (absent in Eratigena gen. nov., Histopona , and Malthonica ), filiform embolus (sometimes terminally truncated), lamelliform conductor with a mostly simple ventral terminal ending (dorsal part may be more complex; more complex or strongly elongated in Eratigena gen. nov., Allagelena , and Maimuna ), elongated median apophysis with distal sclerite (absent in Histopona and Textrix ; without sclerite in Agelena , Agelescape , and Benoitia ). Female: epigyne with a separated median region (strongly fused or absent in Agelena , Agelescape , Allagelena , Benoitia , Eratigena gen. nov., Lycosoides , and Maimuna ). Vulvae very differently shaped but always without either diverticula or long appendages at any duct.

Description

Body size medium to large (carapace length between 2 and 6 mm). Margin of carapace narrowly darkened, mostly with three crescent-shaped spots (for caveliving species, pigmentation is absent); two symmetrical longitudinal dark bands dorsally on carapace present, serrated or reduced to three to four pronounced triangles. Sternum slightly longer than wide with a distinct pattern of pale median band and three to four lateral spots, sometimes fused together; plumose hairs present on carapace, legs, and opisthosoma. Chelicerae with three to five promarginal teeth and three to six retromarginal teeth, the latter all equal in size (sometimes second proximal tooth somewhat smaller or most proximal somewhat larger). Labium wider as or as wide as long. AER and PER straight or only slightly procurved or recurved in dorsal view and moderately procurved in frontal view. AME, sometimes also PME, somewhat smaller than all other eyes, which are approximately equal in size. All trochanter straight or slightly curved. Leg I or IV longest, III shortest. All legs annulated or not. Palp and leg spination: palp femora with one to three dorsal and sometimes one prolateral spines; female palp tibia with two dorsal and two prolateral spines (exception: Teg. ariadnae , prolateral with one paired + one single spines), male palp tibia either without or with one to two, or one pair of, prolateral spines; all leg femora with one to two dorsal spines and variable lateral spines; patellae with two dorsal and no lateral spines; metatarsi III and IV without, one or two dorsal spines, metatarsi with variable numbers of lateral spines, metatarsi III and IV with one pair + one ventrodistal spines, tarsi I and II spineless, III and IV with zero to one prolateral and one to several retrolateral spines, no ventral spines. Spinnerets: colulus developed as trapezoidal plate with the distal margin straight or notched medially. ALS onesegmented, distally with a field of several pyriform spigots and medially with two major ampullate spigots (present in all agelenids). PMS as long as or slightly shorter than ALS, bearing two to three conspicuously prominent spigots. PMS of females with one to two minor ampullate and two to three cylindrical spigots (two to three spigots are prominent medially), and several aciniform gland spigots. PLS longer than all others with distal segment shorter or longer than basal segment. PLS bearing one basal and one medial cylindrical spigot. Male palp without femoral and patellar apophyses. RTA two- to threebranched, mostly complex (several peaks, bent points, fused branches) and with lateroventral ridge, sometimes somewhat reduced. Embolus filiform, getting thinner towards apex (may be truncated in some species); sometimes with distinct terminal end. Conductor mostly lamelliform (in some species very differently expressed), moderately to strongly elongated distal portion, lateral margin folded along the whole length, terminal end (proximal, best viewed from retrolateral) mostly bifid, dividing it into a ventral (functional) and dorsal part (dorsal ending sometimes reduced to rounded bulge). Median apophysis elongated, consisting of membranous base and distal sclerite, which is spoon-, thorn-, or hook-like, or more complexly shaped. Epigynal plate strongly sclerotized with at least moderately distinct median plate with distinct lateral disruptions (lateral margin of median region); median plate may be interrupted transversally, forming a posterior sclerite. Epigynal teeth mostly absent; if present, expressed as ‘pseudo teeth’ (= elongation of lateral margin limiting median region) or denticles originating anteriorly of the genital openings. Vulva consists of one or two pairs of receptacula or only of a convoluted duct (in some species, the mergence of sclerotized parts can be observed); often with a less sclerotized segment at its origin. Fertilization ducts mostly only represented by short, leaf-shaped appendages.

Comment

Comprising 56 species most of which are limited to south-eastern Europe and western Asia. Some species, e.g. Teg. domestica , are globally distributed, most probably because of introductions by man.