Pisaurina mira

Pisaurina mira is a species of spider in the family Pisauridae, the members of which are commonly called "nursery web spiders." They are similar to wolf spiders (Lycosidae) and to the long-legged water spiders (Trechaleidae).[2] The best way to distinguish the Pisauridae from other Families is by observing their eye patterns.[3]

Eye pattern typical of Pisaurina. Note that the outer two eyes on the bottom row are about even with the inner two eyes of that row.

Pisaurina mira
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Infraorder: Araneomorphae
Family: Pisauridae
Genus: Pisaurina
Species:
P. mira
Binomial name
Pisaurina mira

Like other members of the Pisauridae, Pisaurina mira carries its eggs along with it in a sac that is secured both by a thread of silk linking it to the spider's spinnerets and by being held by the spider's chelicerae. When the eggs are nearly ready to hatch the mother will build a nursery web within which the egg sac is then hung. After they hatch, and until they undergo their first molt, the infant spiders will inhabit the rather large volume enclosed by this nursery web. The mother spider will station herself nearby in order to defend the nursery.[2]

The Pisauridae are hunters who roam about in search of prey. The females have body lengths of 11–19 mm (0.43–0.75 in). The males have body lengths of 9–14 mm (0.35–0.55 in). P. mira is found all along the eastern seaboard of the United States and west to Texas, Nebraska, and Wisconsin,[3] as well as in Canada.[1]

References
  1. "Taxon details Pisaurina mira (Walckenaer, 1837)". World Spider Catalog. Natural History Museum Bern. Retrieved 2016-04-14.
  2. Ubick, D.; et al. Spiders of North America: an identification manual. p. 189.
  3. Kaston, B.J. How to Know the Spiders. p. 138.


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