Tegenaria pagana C. L. Koch, 1840
Tegenaria pagana is one of four species of Troglophilic funnel spiders (Agelenidae) recorded in Israel. It is common in many cave entrances in central and northern Israel, and is found in other habitats, including urban environments. This species is widespread around the Mediterranean sea, along the southern shores of the Black and Caspian seas, and in western Europe. It has been introduced to several countries, including Ireland, Brazil and South Africa.
Subadult male
Tegenaria pagana does not exhibit any troglomorphic traits. In contrast with the troglobitic Tegenaria species, its eyes are fully developed and the body coloration is fairly dark. This species is closely related to other troglophilic Tegenaria species, such as Tegenaria epacris, but only distantly related to the troglobitic species, often inhabiting deeper regions of the same caves as Tegenaria pagana.
photo by: Shlomi Aharon
Accession in GENBANK:
Accession in the World Spider Catalog:
Hypothesized native distribution of Tegenaria pagana, not including invasive or strictly synanthropic populations.
Articles about Tegenaria pagana:
Levy, G. (1996). The agelenid funnel‐weaver family and the spider genus Cedicus in Israel (Araneae, Agelenidae and Cybaeidae). Zoologica Scripta, 25(2), 85-122.
Aharon, S., Ballesteros, J. A., Gainett, G., Hawlena, D., Sharma, P. P., & Gavish-Regev, E. (2023). In the land of the blind: exceptional subterranean speciation of cryptic troglobitic spiders of the genus Tegenaria (Araneae: Agelenidae) in Israel. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 107705.
DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2023.107705
Taxonomic Classification
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Family: Agelenidae
Genus: Tegenaria
Species: Tegenaria pagana
Authors: C. L. Koch, 1840
Ecological Classification
Category: Troglophile
Cave zone: Entrance
Microhabitat: Near floor, near rocks