Single striped grass spider | Perenethis venusta

Perenethis venusta L. Koch, 1878 (Family: Pisauridae)

Common name: Single striped grass spider

Size: Female 10-12 mm, Male 9-11 mm

Distribution: India, Thailand, Taiwan to Queensland

Description: Cephalothorax longer than broad, anterior end narrowed, broadest posteriorly. Broad mid dorsal band slightly narrowed posteriorly, a narrow pale median line without any hairs exists in the middle. Ocular region completely within mid-dorsal band. Anterior region slightly elevated and posterior region more flattened, elevation highest behind PLE. Fovea longitudinal and deep in the posterior half. Ocular region located in the forward slant of cephalothorax. Anterior front end angular at corners, a few scattered black bristles on the mid-dorsal band. Ocular region devoid of any hairs or bristles. Clypeus truncated, slightly inclined towards interior; sides slightly angular and projecting forward, clypeus height three times AME, a few long stout bristles located on front half of clypeus. Labium wider than long, constricted at base, smoothly curved at apex and bears long bristles at apex. Maxillae longer than wide, broadest apically, bears scopulae, scattered bristles present on surface. Eyes in three rows, encircled by black bases. Anterior row of eyes procurved, posterior row strongly recurved and in two rows. AME lighter and ALE darker in colour. Ocular quadrangle longer than broad, slightly narrower anteriorly. Chelicerae longer than broad, inner margin with two teeth, outer margin with three teeth, middle teeth bigger, covered with long hairs, fang reddish. Sternum heart shaped, longer than broad, widest at coxa I, pointed posteriorly. Legs moderately long and thin, bear long slender spines, tarsi three clawed, each superior claw in tarsus IV bears 7 teeth, distal 3 teeth are longer than others, leg formula 2413. Pedipalp femur with three dorsal spines, tarsus with three spines. Abdomen elongated, longer than broad, slightly narrowed posteriorly. Mid dorsal band appears to be in alignment with cephalothoracic band. Superior spinnerets slightly longer and narrower, three segmented, middle segment longer than others, inferior spinnerets broader and shorter than superior. Epigynum with a depressed cavity in the middle, borderd by sclerotised areas in the bottom, each sclerotised area contains a bean shaped sac and a tube with ‘S’ shaped bend into the interior, the terminal portion of this tube is located laterally.

Natural History: Common in grass lands.

Contributed By : Sudhikumar A.V.