Mastigusa macrophthalma

Alternative names
Tetrilus macrophthalmus
Charnwood Spider
Description

Body length 3 to 3.5 mm. Prosoma light yellow-brown. Sternum yellow-brown. Legs yellow-brown. Opisthosoma light yellowish, sometimes with vague brownish or blackish pattern. Male palps highly distinctive. In natural light females have metallic blue iridescence on the femurs and also have a double row of spines on the underside of the front tibiae. These two features can be seen with a hand-lens. 

Similar Species

Cicurina cicur (similar appearance but does not have metallic blue iridescence on the femurs). 

Identification difficulty
Recording advice

Good quality photos of males showing unique structure of palps required. Females are difficult to identify and may require microscopic examination. 

Habitat

This spider has a strong association with ant nests, occasionally found under the bark and in the hollow trunks of dead and ancient trees. 

When to see it

All year.

UK Status

National Rarity Status; Vulnerable (VU) JNCC Red List.

VC55 Status

Known mostly from a few sites in the Charnwood area. 

Leicestershire & Rutland Map

MAP KEY:

Yellow squares = NBN records (all known data)
Coloured circles = NatureSpot records: 2020+ | 2015-2019 | pre-2015

UK Map

Species profile

Species group:
Spiders
Kingdom:
Animalia
Order:
Araneae
Family:
Dictynidae
Records on NatureSpot:
3
First record:
25/03/2022 (Cann, Alan)
Last record:
17/10/2023 (Cann, Alan)

Total records by month

% of records within its species group

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