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Long Bodied Cellar (Pholcus phalangioides)

The long-bodied (alternatively written long bodies) cellar spiders are a common American species, found in dark and damp places most of the time. Due to its long legs, it is known as daddy-long-legs, but that is not exclusive to this species, as other cellar spiders are also known by the same name colloquially.

Long Bodied Cellar

Scientific Classification

Physical Description and Identification

Adults

Size: Females are approximately 0.35 inches (9 mm) with 2.7 inches (7cm) leg span, while males are comparatively smaller, around 0.23 inches (6 mm).

Color: They have a yellowish-brown body with a big, gray patch at the middle of their cephalothorax. Their body and legs are translucent with grey hairs all over.

Other Characteristic Features: They have a cylindrical abdomen, and a round, peanut-shaped cephalothorax.

Long Bodied Cellar Spider Size

Eggs

Females produce three egg sacs in their lifetime with each containing 13-60 eggs. They carry the sacs in their pedipalps located at the front, near the mouth.

Long Bodied Cellar Spider Egg

Spiderlings

Spiderlings have transparent bodies and short legs. As they grow, their skin changes 4-5 times.

Long Bodied Cellar Spiderling

The Web

Long bodied cellars create loose webs, arranged horizontally in an irregular manner. They don’t eat or ruin their webs, rather keep on adding new layers of it to the previous ones.

Long Bodied Cellar Spider Web

Are Long Bodied Cellar Spiders Venomous

There is a myth of these spiders being venomous, though the fact remains unproven. Rather, they are said to be harmless to humans, and also beneficial since their webs have medicinal uses.

Long Bodied Cellar Spider

Quick Facts

Other NamesDaddy long-legs spider, Skull spider
Distribution Asia, Europe, Africa, South America
Habitat Caves, cellars, garages, and warehouses, and  basements
Web Type Large, irregular
Diet Woodlice, mosquitoes, and other spiders like the redback
Lifespan Around 2 years
Predators Other bigger spiders
IUCN Conservation Status Not listed
Long Bodied Cellar Spider Picture

Did You Know

  • The species is described in 1775 by Johann Kaspar Füssli, the famous Swiss entomologist.
  • Since their cephalothorax resembles a human skull, they are alternately known as the skull spider.

Image Credits: 2.bp.blogspot.com, 4.bp.blogspot.com, C1.staticflickr.com, Spiderid.com, M.espacepourlavie.ca, Kysitesforsale.info, Animalsofupstateny.weebly.com

The long-bodied (alternatively written long bodies) cellar spiders are a common American species, found in dark and damp places most of the time. Due to its long legs, it is known as daddy-long-legs, but that is not exclusive to this species, as other cellar spiders are also known by the same name colloquially.

Long Bodied Cellar

Physical Description and Identification

Adults

Size: Females are approximately 0.35 inches (9 mm) with 2.7 inches (7cm) leg span, while males are comparatively smaller, around 0.23 inches (6 mm).

Color: They have a yellowish-brown body with a big, gray patch at the middle of their cephalothorax. Their body and legs are translucent with grey hairs all over.

Other Characteristic Features: They have a cylindrical abdomen, and a round, peanut-shaped cephalothorax.

Long Bodied Cellar Spider Size

Eggs

Females produce three egg sacs in their lifetime with each containing 13-60 eggs. They carry the sacs in their pedipalps located at the front, near the mouth.

Long Bodied Cellar Spider Egg

Spiderlings

Spiderlings have transparent bodies and short legs. As they grow, their skin changes 4-5 times.

Long Bodied Cellar Spiderling

The Web

Long bodied cellars create loose webs, arranged horizontally in an irregular manner. They don’t eat or ruin their webs, rather keep on adding new layers of it to the previous ones.

Long Bodied Cellar Spider Web

Are Long Bodied Cellar Spiders Venomous

There is a myth of these spiders being venomous, though the fact remains unproven. Rather, they are said to be harmless to humans, and also beneficial since their webs have medicinal uses.

Long Bodied Cellar Spider

Quick Facts

Other NamesDaddy long-legs spider, Skull spider
Distribution Asia, Europe, Africa, South America
Habitat Caves, cellars, garages, and warehouses, and  basements
Web Type Large, irregular
Diet Woodlice, mosquitoes, and other spiders like the redback
Lifespan Around 2 years
Predators Other bigger spiders
IUCN Conservation Status Not listed
Long Bodied Cellar Spider Picture

Did You Know

  • The species is described in 1775 by Johann Kaspar Füssli, the famous Swiss entomologist.
  • Since their cephalothorax resembles a human skull, they are alternately known as the skull spider.

Image Credits: 2.bp.blogspot.com, 4.bp.blogspot.com, C1.staticflickr.com, Spiderid.com, M.espacepourlavie.ca, Kysitesforsale.info, Animalsofupstateny.weebly.com

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