Antrodiaetus pacificus is a species of mygalomorph spiders native to the Pacific Northwest. Both male and female were first described by French arachnologist Eugène Louis Simon in 1884 under the name Brachybothrium pacificum.[1] The genus name is a combination of the Greek "antrodiaitos" (αντροδιαιτος), meaning "living in caves", "antron" (αντρον), meaning "cave", and "diaita (διαιτα), meaning "way of life, dwelling".[2] The specific epithet refers to its geographical distribution along the pacific coast of North America, between San Francisco Bay and Alaska. It is the northernmost mygalomorph spider in North America.[3]
Both males and females have a carapace that is dark brown to black, and two to three sclerotized patches on the abdomen. Females are about 13 millimetres (0.51 in) long, and males are about 11 millimetres (0.43 in) long. They are active year-round, but most activity occurs between late July and early September,[4] peaking around mating season between early June and late November.[3][5] They live in cool, damp forest and build burrows in soft substrates, usually sand, moss, or decaying wood,[3] where they brood their eggs and overwinter. During the day, they keep the entrance closed, but when the sun sets and it is sufficiently dark, they will open the burrow and wait at the entrance for potential prey to wander by, predominantly beetles.[3]
Antrodiaetus pacificus is a species of mygalomorph spiders native to the Pacific Northwest. Both male and female were first described by French arachnologist Eugène Louis Simon in 1884 under the name Brachybothrium pacificum. The genus name is a combination of the Greek "antrodiaitos" (αντροδιαιτος), meaning "living in caves", "antron" (αντρον), meaning "cave", and "diaita (διαιτα), meaning "way of life, dwelling". The specific epithet refers to its geographical distribution along the pacific coast of North America, between San Francisco Bay and Alaska. It is the northernmost mygalomorph spider in North America.
Both males and females have a carapace that is dark brown to black, and two to three sclerotized patches on the abdomen. Females are about 13 millimetres (0.51 in) long, and males are about 11 millimetres (0.43 in) long. They are active year-round, but most activity occurs between late July and early September, peaking around mating season between early June and late November. They live in cool, damp forest and build burrows in soft substrates, usually sand, moss, or decaying wood, where they brood their eggs and overwinter. During the day, they keep the entrance closed, but when the sun sets and it is sufficiently dark, they will open the burrow and wait at the entrance for potential prey to wander by, predominantly beetles.
Antrodiaetus pacificus est une espèce d'araignées mygalomorphes de la famille des Antrodiaetidae[1].
Cette espèce se rencontre[1],[2],[3] :
A. pacificus est brun foncé à noir. Sur la face dorsale, son opisthosome porte deux ou trois plaques sclérotisées. Les femelles mesurent en moyenne 13 mm de long; les mâles, 11 mm.
A. pacificus est actif à l'année longue, mais principalement entre la fin du mois de juillet et le début du mois de septembre, l'accouplement ayant lieu entre début juin et fin novembre. Il peut vivre plus d'une année[3],[4].
A. pacificus vit dans un terrier qu'il construit dans le sable, la mousse et le bois en décomposition. Il passe l'hiver et couve ses œufs dans cette structure tubulaire. Le terrier est fermé pendant le jour et ouvert la nuit, quand la l'araignée se tient dans l'entrée en attendant qu'une proie potentielle passe à proximité. Ses proies principales sont les fourmis et les coléoptères[3].
Cette espèce a été décrite par l'arachnologiste français Eugène Simon en 1884 sous le protonyme Brachybothrium pacificum[5]. Elle est placée dans le genre Antrodiaetus par Coyle en 1971[3].
Son nom d'espèce lui a été donné en référence au lieu de sa découverte, la côte de l'océan Pacifique.
Antrodiaetus pacificus est une espèce d'araignées mygalomorphes de la famille des Antrodiaetidae.
Antrodiaetus pacificus is een spinnensoort uit de familie Antrodiaetidae. De soort komt voor in de Verenigde Staten.
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