Tegenaria yaaranford Aharon & Gavish-Regev, 2023
Tegenaria yaaranford is one of seven species of Troglobitic funnel spiders (Agelenidae) currently known from Israel. It is recorded from Te'omim cave, in the judean mountains.
Tegenaria yaaranford exhibits troglomorphic traits: discoloration and reduced eyes. The anterior median eyes are usually ebsent.
Hunting in this species is accomplished similarly to other agelenids: with a horizontal funnel web.
photo by: Shlomi Aharon
Subadult male with prey
This species is very similar to the other troglobitic Tegenaria species in Israel, and distinguished by using genital characters. The sister species of Tegenaria yaaranford is Tegenaria yotami, from the nearby Soreq cave.
Taxonomic Classification
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Family: Agelenidae
Genus: Tegenaria
Species: Tegenaria yaaranford
Authors: Aharon & Gavish- Regev, 2023
Ecological Classification
Category: Troglobite
Cave zone: Twilight, dark
Microhabitat: Near floor, near rocks
Distribution map
Articles about Tegenaria yaaranford:
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: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2023.107705