The European Spider of the Year 2011 - the Common Labyrinth Spider

Řezáč M., Machač O.

The Common Labyrinth Spider (Agelena labyrinthica) has been chosen as the European Spider of the Year 2011. An important characteristic of the funnel-web spiders (family Agelenidae) is the prominent pair of two-segmented posterior spinnerets. In the genus of Agelena these are further elongated - with the second segment almost twice the length of the basal segment. In terms of size, the Common Labyrinth Spider can be regarded as moderately large: males typically reach 8-12 mm; females 10-14 mm body length. In the Czech Republic the spider is quite common in lowlands as well as in highlands, preferring sunny, dry habitats with low vegetation and sparse shrubs and bushes.

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