| Lepthyphantes minutus (Blackwall, 1833) |
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Scientific name: Lepthyphantes minutus (Blackwall, 1833) Common name: French name: Order: Araneae Family: Linyphiidae Size: 3,0 to 4,2 mm for males, 3.5 to 5.5 mm for females. Biotope: Forests on trunks or under logs, but sometimes in the vicinity of human buildings. Web: Irregular web on a trunk or a wall. Observation period: Males from July to November, females all year round. Lepthyphantes minutus over winters at the adult state. Geographic area: Europe, mainly in temperate and cold regions. |
Spiders of the Lepthyphantes genus are small Linyphiidae. The Fauna europea web site lists more than 60 species found in Europe. Members of the nebulosus/leprosus/minutus/alcatris group are characterized by more than one spine on the metatarsus of leg 1. In this group only Lepthyphantes minutus and Lepthyphantes leprosus have sharply ringed legs. And then to differentiate these two species you need to have a look at spines on tibia 4 (or 3). There are at least 4 spines on Lepthyphantes minutus while only 2 on Lepthyphantes leprosus. Lepthyphantes minutus shows a brown cephalothorax with sharp and dark radial lines which are darker at the rear. The abdomen bears pairs of oblique dark patches. The patella of males' pedipalps bears a large spine pointing forwards. It is thicker than the legs' spines. Lepthyphantes leprosus also shows this spine but it is thinner. |
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I observed this Lepthyphantes minutus inside my workshop room. It is therefore not only found in the forest. You can see at least two spines on the metatarsus of leg 1 at the bottom of the photo. The legs are clearly ringed. In addition, you can clearly see the large spines on the patella of this male's palps, pointing forward. |
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Here is another photo showing the spines of a tibia 4. Their number confirms Lepthyphantes minutus. I used a sheet of graph paper to measure the body size: 3.5mm. |
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Front view with very prominent eyes. |
André Bon December 2021