Daddy long-legs spider
The Daddy-Long-Legs Spider (Pholcus phalangioides) is a spider of the family Pholcidae. Its legs are about 5 or 6 times the length of its body. It is often confused with the daddy long-legs, a member of the Opiliones, which are not true (real) spiders. P. phalangioides has the habit of shaking the web violently when disturbed. This is probably to blur the vision of a predator. Because it is often found on the ceilings of rooms, caves or cellars, it is also called cellar spider. They can easily catch and eat hairy house spiders, mosquitoes, and other insects. When food is scarce, they will prey on their own kind. Because they originally came from the tropics, these spiders do not seem to be aware of seasonal changes and breed at any time of the year.
| Daddy long-legs spider | |
|---|---|
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| Pholcus phalangioides | |
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| Close-up of a cellar spider's cephalothorax, showing two groups of three clustered eyes | |
Scientific classification 
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| Unrecognized taxon (fix): | Pholcidae |
| Diversity | |
| 94 genera, 1820 species | |
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| Estimated range of Pholcidae. | |
The female holds 20 to 30 eggs in her jaws. Spiderlings are transparent with short legs and change their skin about 5 or 6 times as they grow.
Females have a body length of about 9mm, males are slightly smaller.
Crossopriza lyoni and Physocyclus globosis are spiders with a very similar appearance.
Trivia
- This is the only spider species described by Swiss painter and entomologist Johann Kaspar Füssli.
- Some spiders, including P. phalangioides, have the ability to completely suck out a mosquito from the tip of one of its legs, although this may take up to twelve hours.
Daddy Long-legs Spider Media
Cellar spider vibrating rapidly in response to a threat
A cellar spider which has captured a house spider, in a domestic setting. The predator spider has noticeably grown in abdomen size during feeding, whilst the prey appears diminished.
ארטמה נפילית
Two Crossopriza lyoni. The bottom one is male. The female is clutching her egg bundle (magnified).
A marbled cellar spider (Holocnemus pluchei) carrying prey.
Smeringopus pallidus female with egg sac.
Male shortbodied cellar spider (Spermophora senoculata) from the United States
Other websites
- Description and pictures Archived 2006-12-31 at the Wayback Machine
- Long description and pictures