Nesticodes is a monotypic genus of comb-footed spiders containing only the red house spider [Nesticodes rufipes (Lucas, 1846)].[1] It was first described by Allan Frost Archer in 1950,[2] and has a pantropical distribution due to ship and air travel.[3]

Nesticodes
Female with egg sac
Male
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Infraorder: Araneomorphae
Family: Theridiidae
Genus: Nesticodes
Archer, 1950[1]
Species:
N. rufipes
Binomial name
Nesticodes rufipes
(Lucas, 1846)
Synonyms[1]
  • Anelosimus nelsoni Bryant, 1945
  • Robertus pilosus Denis, 1956
  • Theridion albonotatum Taczanowski, 1872
  • Theridion bajulans L. Koch, 1875
  • Theridion borbonicum Vinson, 1863
  • Theridion flavo-aurantiacum Simon, 1880
  • Theridion longipes Hasselt, 1882
  • Theridion luteolum Blackwall, 1859
  • Theridion luteipes O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1869
  • Theridion rufipes Lucas, 1846

Description

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Nesticodes rufipes is a small red-bodied spider, venomous, but not harmful to humans.[3] They can be extremely common inside homes, building webs in dark corners and under furniture. They have been observed preying on insects such as mosquitoes,[4] flies,[5] and ants.[6]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Gloor, Daniel; Nentwig, Wolfgang; Blick, Theo; Kropf, Christian (2020). "Gen. Nesticodes Archer, 1950". World Spider Catalog Version 20.0. Natural History Museum Bern. doi:10.24436/2. Retrieved 2020-06-30.
  2. ^ Archer, A. F. (1950). "A study of theridiid and mimetid spiders with descriptions of new genera and species". Museum Paper, Alabama Museum of Natural History. 30: 1–40.
  3. ^ a b Sekhar, R.; Sunil Jose, K. (2017). "New distributional records of Nesticodes rufipes (Lucas, 1846) in India". Munis Entomology and Zoology. 12 (2): 478–480.
  4. ^ Rossi, Marcelo N.; Godoy, Wesley A.C. (2006). "Prey Choice by Nesticodes rufipes (Araneae, Theridiidae) on Musca domestica (Diptera, Muscidae) and Dermestes ater (Coleoptera, Dermestidae)". The Journal of Arachnology. 34 (1): 186–193. doi:10.1636/S04-7.1. ISSN 0161-8202. JSTOR 4489056. S2CID 37948193.
  5. ^ Godoy, Wesley A. C.; Reigada, Carolina; Rossi, Marcelo N. (2006). "The role of habitat heterogeneity for the functional response of the spider Nesticodes rufipes (Araneae: Theridiidae) to houseflies". Applied Entomology and Zoology. 41 (3): 419–427. doi:10.1303/aez.2006.419. hdl:11449/17241. ISSN 0003-6862.
  6. ^ Correa Bueno, Odair; Massuretti de Jesus, Carlos; Solis, Daniel Russ; Brescovit, Antônio Domingos; Fox, Eduardo (2019-02-08). "Immatures of Nesticodes rufipes (Araneae, Theridiidae) Causing Considerable Damage to Ant Colonies in the Laboratory". Figshare. doi:10.6084/m9.figshare.7695518.v1.

Further reading

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  • Lucas, 1846 : Histoire naturelle des animaux articules. Exploration scientifique de l'Algerie pendant les annees 1840, 1841, 1842 publiee par ordre du Gouvernement et avec le concours d'une commission academique. Paris, Sciences physiques, Zoologie, vol. 1, p. 89-271.
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