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Agelenopsis oklahoma
They are fairly easily identified: a "small" brown spider with longitudinal striping, the arrangement of their eight eyes into two rows. (The top curved row has four eyes and the bottom curved row has four eyes). They also have two prominent hind spinnerets. A spinneret is a spider's silk spinning organ. They are usually on the underside of a spider's abdomen, to the rear. On many spiders, the spinnerets cannot be seen easily without flipping the spider over; however, with Agelenopsis, the spinnerets are readily seen without having to flip the spider over. Agelenopsis spp. also have somewhat indistinct bands on their legs.
Habitat It is common in open areas, gardens, and woodlands. Depending on the style of siding on a structure (wood shakes, some vinyl sidings, porch eaves and beams, bricks with cracked/broken mortar, etc.), it will build a web in a corner, near a light source that will attact insects. (The structure type has to be able to form some sort of gap or recess for the "funnel" to retreat into.)
The eye pattern on this individual identifies it as a wolf spider. The shape of the carapace suggests a Rabidosa, and the pattern on the abdomen shows this is a Rabidosa rabida, a Rabid Wolf Spider. The first pair of legs on a mature male Rabid Wolf Spider are black. Finally, Rabid Wolf Spiders are common in Oklahoma where this spider was found. All of this confirms that this particular spider is a mature male Rabid Wolf Spider.
Spotted on Jul 13, 2013
Submitted on Jul 13, 2013
