Philodromus dispar (Walckenaer, 1826)

Scientific name: Philodromus dispar (Walckenaer, 1826)
Common name:
French name:
Order: Araneae
Family: Philodromidae
Size: 4-5 mm.
Biotope: Deciduous or coniferous forests, copses, parks and gardens.
Web: No web.
Observation period: You can mainly observe adults between April and late July. You may also observe a few females in autumn and winter. Females attach their egg cocoon to leaves and guard it till the little spiderlings hatch out in autumn.
Geographic area: Western and central Europe.

Philodromus dispar is a small spider with an important sexual dimorphism. However both sexes show well marked white sides on the abdomen which can be used as a key to tell this species apart.
Females have a brown cephalothorax with well separated white, creamy or pale yellow edges.
Their abdomen is pale brown to brown with darker borders. There can be a leaf-shaped mark, or folium, in the centre.
The sides are white, pale yellow or cream and sharply marked.
Males have a black or very dark brown cephalothorax with well marked white stripes on each side.
The abdomen is black or very dark brown too. It has white sides.
On both sexes, the legs are greyish and finely punctuated with black spots.
Philodromus dispar does spin webs, it captures insects by moving very fast.
Young spiderlings over winter under the bark of trees.


Philodromus dispar - Yvelines, France - April 22nd 2011
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Philodromus dispar
At least one spider species which is easy to tell apart only with a picture. You can clearly see the white edges of the abdomen.
This male Philodromus dispar is missing two legs.



Philodromus dispar - Yvelines, France - April 22nd 2011
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Philodromus dispar
I have just to observe on female now.



Philodromus dispar - Yvelines, France - June 8th 2014
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Philodromus dispar
Here is one female guarding its cocoon.



Philodromus dispar - Yvelines, France - June 8th 2014
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Philodromus dispar
This front view allows to see the typical eye pattern of the Philodromidae family.
A closer view would have been better but this is not easy in the field.



Philodromus dispar - Yvelines, France - March 21st 2015
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Philodromus dispar
Here is a juvenile female seen on a window sill of the house.



Philodromus dispar - Yvelines, France - March 21st 2015
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Philodromus dispar
Upper side view.



Philodromus dispar - Yvelines, France - March 21st 2015
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Philodromus dispar
And here is an immature male, possibly the brother of the previous female seen on the same day.



Philodromus dispar - Yvelines, France - March 21st 2015
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Philodromus dispar
Immature males do not yet show the very dark colour of adults.



Philodromus dispar - Yvelines, France - March 21st 2015
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Philodromus dispar
Although juveniles of both sexes are similar in colour, the bulky pedipalps of males allow them to be easily distinguished.



Philodromus dispar - Yvelines, France - April 10th 2016
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Philodromus dispar
Front view of a male juvenile.

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