Pholcus phalangioides (Fuesslin, 1775)
(Cobweb Spider)

Taxonomic hierarchy:
SpeciesPholcus phalangioides (Cobweb Spider)
FamilyPHOLCIDAE (daddy-long-legs spiders)
OrderARANEAE (spiders)
ClassARACHNIDA (mites, spiders, false scorpions, harvestmen etc.)
SubphylumCHELICERATA (a subphylum of arthropods)
PhylumARTHROPODA (arthropods)
SuperphylumECDYSOZOA (skin shedders)
CladeBilateria (bilaterally symmetrical animals)
SubkingdomEUMETAZOA (metazoans)
KingdomANIMALIA (animals)
DomainEukaryota (eukaryotes)
LifeBIOTA (living things)
Records of Pholcus phalangioides (Cobweb Spider) :
1: Pholcus phalangioides (Cobweb Spider)
10 Nov 2015 OSGR: SY67 50° 30’ N, 2° 30’ W Vice County: Dorset (VC 9) England
Male, in meter box on outside of house
Image 1: Male - lateral view - silver backgroundImage 2: Male - cephalothorax and palps - dorsal view - close-up - magnified - white backgroundImage 3: Male - cephalothorax and palps - ventral view - close-up - magnified - white backgroundImage 4: Male - cephalothorax - antero-dorsal view - close-up - magnified - silver backgroundImage 5: Male - dorsal view - close-up - highly enlarged - silver backgroundImage 6: Male - dorsal view - close-up - highly enlarged - white backgroundImage 7: Male - lateral view - close-up - highly enlarged - silver backgroundImage 8: Male - ventral view - close-up - highly enlarged - silver backgroundImage 9: Male - ventral view - close-up - highly enlarged - white backgroundImage 10: Male - pedipalp - anterior view - close-up - microscope low magnification - white backgroundImage 11: Male - pedipalp - dorsal view - close-up - microscope low magnification - white backgroundImage 12: Male - pedipalp - posterior view - close-up - microscope low magnification - white background
2: Pholcus phalangioides (Cobweb Spider)
8 Nov 2015 OSGR: SY67 50° 30’ N, 2° 30’ W Vice County: Dorset (VC 9) England
Female, in garage
Image 1: Female - dorsal view - white backgroundImage 2: Female - lateral view - white backgroundImage 3: Female - cephalothorax and opisthosoma - dorsal view - close-up - highly enlarged - silver backgroundImage 4: Female - cephalothorax and opisthosoma - ventral view - close-up - highly enlarged - silver backgroundImage 5: Female - cephalothorax and opisthosoma - ventral view - close-up - highly enlarged - silver background (2)Image 6: Female - dorsal view - close-up - highly enlarged - silver backgroundImage 7: Female - dorsal view - close-up - highly enlarged - silver background (2)Image 8: Female - opisthosoma and prosoma - dorsal view - close-up - highly enlarged - silver backgroundImage 9: Female - opisthosoma and prosoma - lateral view - close-up - highly enlarged - silver backgroundImage 10: Female - ventral view - close-up - highly enlarged - silver backgroundImage 11: Female - ventral view - close-up - highly enlarged - silver background (2)Image 12: Eyes - dorsal view - microscope low magnificationImage 13: Female - epigyne - lateral view - microscope low magnificationImage 14: Female - epigyne - microscope low magnification
3: Pholcus phalangioides (Cobweb Spider)
6 Apr 2000 OSGR: SU56 51° 20’ N, 1° 10’ W Vice County: Berks (VC 22) England
in lean-to shed
Image 1: Antero-ventral viewImage 2: Epigyne - magnifiedImage 3: Epigyne - magnified (2)Image 4: Female - dorsal view - close-up - pale backgroundImage 5: Female - dorsal view - pale backgroundImage 6: Female - face - close-upImage 7: Female - latero-ventral view - close-upImage 8: Female - prosoma - dorsal viewImage 9: Female - prosoma - ventral viewImage 10: Female - ventral view - pale backgroundImage 11: Opisthosoma - dorsal viewImage 12: Opisthosoma - lateral viewImage 13: Spinnerets - ventral view
4: Pholcus phalangioides (Cobweb Spider)
6 Apr 2000 OSGR: SU56 51° 20’ N, 1° 10’ W Vice County: Berks (VC 22) England
Male, in lean-to wooden shed
Image 1: Male - dorsal view - close-up - pale backgroundImage 2: Male - dorsal view - pale backgroundImage 3: Male - lateral view - close-upImage 4: Male - lateral view - close-up - pale backgroundImage 5: Male - lateral view - pale backgroundImage 6: Male pedipalp - anterior viewImage 7: Male pedipalp - anterior view (2)Image 8: Male pedipalp - posterior viewImage 9: Male pedipalps - dorsal viewImage 10: Male pedipalps - lateral viewImage 11: Male pedipalps - ventral viewImage 12: Male - prosoma - dorsal viewImage 13: Male - ventral view - close-up - pale backgroundImage 14: Male - ventral view - pale backgroundImage 15: Opisthosma - dorsal viewImage 16: Spinnerets - lateral view
5: Pholcus phalangioides (Cobweb Spider)
6 Apr 2000 OSGR: SU56 51° 20’ N, 1° 10’ W Vice County: Berks (VC 22) England
in lean-to shed
Image 1: FemaleImage 2: Female with (empty?) egg coccoonImage 3: MaleImage 4: Two males
6: Pholcus phalangioides (Cobweb Spider)
11 Aug 1968 OSGR: TQ20 50° 50’ N, 0° 10’ W Vice County: East Sussex (VC 14) England
indoors
Image 1: Female - dorsal view - white backgroundImage 2: Male - dorsal view - white backgroundImage 3: Male - dorsal view - close-up - enlarged - white background

Pholcus phalangioides (Cobweb Spider) may be included in identification literature listed under the following higher taxa:

NBNNBN (data.nbn.org.uk) has a distribution map for Pholcus phalangioides (Cobweb Spider)
BioInfoBioInfo (www.bioinfo.org.uk) has 0 host/parasite/foodplant and/or other relationships for Pholcus phalangioides (Cobweb Spider)

A common synanthropic spider that survives and near the ceiling and in dark corners in most houses. It feeds on other, often larger, invertebrates including spiders and woodlice, by injecting poison into their extremities and then feeding on them after they have become paralysed.

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