Sphodros niger


Sphodros niger, the black purse-web spider, is a mygalomorph spider from the Eastern United States. It is listed as a special concern species in Connecticut.

Description

Males have a body length of about 11 mm, 29 mm with extended legs. The body is black, except for chocolate-brown legs. Although the species was first described in 1842, females were first described in 1980. This results from the male's behavior of wandering about in search of mates, while females, which reside in tubes, are rarely found.

Name

The species name niger is Latin for "black".