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Eratigena

Eratigena
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Eratigena
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Summary

Eratigena is a genus of spider in the family Agelenidae. Most of its species were moved from the genus Tegenaria in 2013. Two species that frequently build webs in and around human dwellings are now placed in this genus. Eratigena agrestis is the hobo spider, native to Europe and Central Asia, introduced to North America. Eratigena atrica is the giant house spider, native to Europe and also introduced into North America.

Eratigena

Eratigena
Local Pest Control

Scientific classification

kingdom: Animalia
phylum: Arthropoda
class: Arachnida
order: Araneae
family: Agelenidae

Species

Eratigena agrestis

Hobo Spider

Eratigena agrestis

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Eratigena duellica

Giant House Spider

Eratigena duellica

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Eratigena atrica

Giant House Spider

Eratigena atrica

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Phylogeny

Species now placed in the genus Eratigena were previously placed in Tegenaria and Malthonica. In 2013, a study was carried out on European house spiders in the "Tegenaria-Malthonica complex". Using both morphological and molecular data, the study found four well-supported clades, one of which constituted a new genus Eratigena, comprising species formerly placed in Tegenaria and Malthonica. The name Eratigena is an anagram of Tegenaria. (Some Tegenaria species had previously been separated into the new genus Aterigena, another anagram of Tegenaria. ) Although the genera involved in the study were consistently found to be monophyletic, different analyses found different relationships among them. Based on both morphological and DNA data, one hypothesis for the phylogeny of Eratigena and related genera is:

Identification

Bolzern et al. (2013) provide a key to the European agelenid genera. Eratigena can be differentiated from Malthonica by the un-notched trochanters on legs III and IV (notched in Malthonica). The genus differs from Tegenaria in the number and size of the teeth on the rear margin of the chelicerae. Eratigena has six or more teeth, with those closer to the body of the spider being smaller. Tegenaria has three to six large teeth, more or less equal in size.