Microdipoena guttata
| Microdipoena guttata | |
|---|---|
| female M. guttata | |
| male M. guttata | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Araneomorphae |
| Family: | Mysmenidae |
| Genus: | Microdipoena |
| Species: | M. guttata
|
| Binomial name | |
| Microdipoena guttata Banks, 1895
| |
Microdipoena guttata is a species of true spider in the family Mysmenidae.[1][2][3][4] It is found in a range from the United States to Paraguay.[5]
Taxonomy
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Arthropoda
- Class: Arachnida
- Order: Araneae (spiders)
- Family: Mysmenidae
- Genus: Microdipoena
- Species: Microdipoena guttata
The family Mysmenidae comprises very small spiders, many of which are poorly studied due to their size and cryptic habitats.[6]
Characteristics
Microdipoena guttata is extremely small, consistent with other mysmenid spiders:[7]
- Body size: typically under 2 mm
- Coloration: generally pale to brownish, often with distinct spotted or mottled markings (reflected in the species name guttata, meaning "spotted")
- Body form: compact, with relatively short legs compared to larger web-building spiders.
Due to their small size, detailed identification often requires microscopic examination, especially of genital structures.[7]
Habitat
The species is associated with humid, sheltered microhabitats, including leaf litter, low shrubs, and ground vegetation, and forest understory environments.[8] Like other members of Mysmenidae, it constructs very small, irregular orb webs or reduced web structures close to the ground. They prey on tiny insects and micro-arthropods, capturing them using fine, delicate silk webs.[8]
Geography
Microdipoena guttata is known from parts of Europe, with records showing sightings in parts of Central and Eastern Europe, and regions with temperate forest ecosystems.[8] Exact distribution is not comprehensively documented, reflecting the limited sampling of very small arachnid species.[8]
References
- ^ "Microdipoena guttata Report". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 2018-04-23.
- ^ "Microdipoena guttata species details". Catalogue of Life. Retrieved 2018-04-23.
- ^ "Microdipoena guttata". GBIF. Retrieved 2018-04-23.
- ^ "Microdipoena guttata Species Information". BugGuide.net. Retrieved 2018-04-23.
- ^ "NMBE World Spider Catalog, Microdipoena guttata". Retrieved 2018-04-23.
- ^ "World Spider Catalog". wsc.nmbe.ch. Retrieved 2026-03-20.
- ^ a b May, Lynette Elliott on 3; 2011 - 9:43pm. "Species Microdipoena guttata". www.bugguide.net. Retrieved 2026-03-20.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ a b c d Foelix, Rainer (2025-08-14). Spider Biology. Springer Nature. ISBN 978-3-031-96011-6.