Theridion attritum facts for kids
Theridion attritum is a small spider that lives in Western Australia. It's part of a big spider family called Theridiidae, also known as tangle-web spiders or cobweb spiders.
Quick facts for kids Theridion attritum |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Dorsal abdomen of female | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Billima attrita |
This spider was first described in 1908 by a scientist named Simon. For a while, people thought it belonged to different spider families, like Araneidae or Theridiosomatidae. But in 1967, scientists figured out it truly belongs to the Theridion group within the Theridiidae family.
One interesting fact about Theridion attritum is that it doesn't have a body part called a colulus. Many spiders in the Araneidae and Theridiosomatidae families have a large colulus. This difference helped scientists place Theridion attritum in the correct family. It's also important not to confuse it with another spider, Anelosimus attritus, which was once mistakenly called Theridion attritum.
What Does Theridion attritum Look Like?
Theridion attritum is quite small, only about 2.2 millimeters long. That's less than a quarter of a centimeter!
Its body has a few distinct colors:
- Carapace: This is the hard upper shell covering its head and chest area. It's yellowish with a thin black line all around its edge.
- Sternum: This is the underside of its chest area. It's a mix of yellow-orange with some gray coloring.
- Legs: The legs are yellow, but they have darker marks on them.
- Abdomen: The top part of its abdomen (the main body section) is whitish. It has a darker stripe running down the middle. This stripe has an uneven shape and is outlined on each side by a white band.
- Venter: This is the underside of its abdomen. It's black with a white stripe going across it.
This tiny spider looks surprisingly similar to two other spider species: Theridion melanurum and Theridion varians. However, Theridion attritum is much smaller than both of them.
See also
In Spanish: Theridion attritum para niños
