Monday, 7 February 2022

Spider names - what do they mean?

Most spiders do not have common English names. I find it easier to remember the latin species name if I know what it means. 


Bathy - "deep"

Bathyphantes - Deep Weaver

Bathyphantes approximatus - "close to" - Similar Deep Weaver

Bathyphantes gracilis - Slender Deep Weaver

Bathyphantes parvulus - Small Deep Weaver

Bathyphantes setiger - Setiger's Deep Weaver


Leptos - "thin"

Lepthyphantes - Thin Weaver

Lepthyphantes leprosus - Skinny Thin Weaver

Lepthyphantes major - Greater Thin Weaver


Megalepthyphantes - Giant Thin Weaver

Megalepthyphantes collinus - Collin's Giant Thin Weaver

Megalepthyphantes nebulosus - Misty Giant Thin Weaver


Phantes - Greek, "weaver"


Segestria florentina - blanket or counterpane, a reference to the shape of its web outside the burrow, from Florence - Florence Blanket Spider.


Tenuis - "thin/slender"

Tenuiphantes - Slender Weaver

Tenuiphantes alacris - Brisk/Quick Slender Weaver

Tenuiphantes cristatus - Created Slender Weaver

Tenuiphantes flavipes - Yellow-footed Slender Weaver

Tenuiphantes nigrinus - Black Slender Weaver

Tenuiphantes zimmermanni - Zimmermann's Slender Weaver, after Walter Max Zimmermann (1892–1980)