Pachygnatha degeeri is a spider

Spider

Spiders are air-breathing arthropods that have eight legs, and chelicerae with fangs that inject venom. They are the largest order of arachnids and rank seventh in total species diversity among all other groups of organisms...

 in the genus of long-jawed orb weaver

Long-jawed orb weaver

The long-jawed orb weavers or long jawed spiders are elongated spiders with long legs and chelicerae.The spiders are orb web weavers, weaving small orb webs with an open hub and few, wide-set radii and spirals. The webs have no signal line and no retreat...

s (Tetragnathidae).

Appearance

Pachygnatha has a dark body, without a dark middle band. The legs are light, yellow-orange. The back can vary in colour and pattern. The back is split in two into an abdomen

Abdomen

In vertebrates such as mammals the abdomen constitutes the part of the body between the thorax and pelvis. The region enclosed by the abdomen is termed the abdominal cavity...

and a front body (prosoma or cephalothorax). In front of the head are eight eyes. An adult female (imago) is around 4.5 mm, while a male is 4 mm long (body length).

There are two other species, P. listeri and P. clercki in the family Pachygnatha. These can be separated from this species by the dark head. There is also a darker line on the body.

Life

Pachygnatha degeeri can be found in woods, among plants and grant. Adults can be seen from the middle of the summer until the first frosts in winter.

Literature

• W. Nentwig, A. Hänggi, C. Kropf & T. Blick (Hrsg.): Spinnen Mitteleuropas – Bestimmungsschlüssel, slekten (gattung) Pachygnatha (tysk)

External links

• Pachygnatha degeeri - europspiders.com (Images)
• Kjeveedderkopper - edderkopper.net (Norwegian)