Taxonomy
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Arthropoda
- Class: Arachnida
- Order: Araneae
- Infraorder: Araneomorphae
- Family: Agelenidae
- Genus: Agelena
- Species: Agelena consociata
- Authority: Simon, 1910 (as listed in the World Spider Catalog)
Description
Agelena consociata is a member of the funnel‑web spiders (family Agelenidae). Like other species in the genus Agelena, it possesses a relatively flattened carapace, long hind‑leg segments, and eight eyes arranged in two rows. Detailed morphological characteristics specific to A. consociata (such as size range, coloration, and genitalia structure) have been described in taxonomic literature but are not widely summarized in general references.
Distribution and Habitat
The species has been recorded in Central and West Africa, with confirmed occurrences in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and neighboring regions. It inhabits forested environments, often constructing its characteristic horizontal sheet webs among low vegetation, leaf litter, or under rocks.
Behavior and Ecology
- Web architecture: Constructs a non‑sticky, sheet‑like web that includes a funnel‑shaped retreat where the spider hides.
- Foraging: Primarily nocturnal; prey insects and other arthropods that fall onto the sheet are quickly seized.
- Reproduction: Females lay egg sacs within the retreat; spiderlings disperse by ballooning, a common behavior among Agelenidae.
Conservation Status
The species has not been evaluated by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and therefore lacks an official conservation status.
Research and References
- World Spider Catalog (2023). Agelena consociata Simon, 1910. Natural History Museum Bern.
- Simon, E. (1910). Arachnides nouveaux de l'Afrique centrale. Annales de la Société Entomologique de Belgique, 54, 123–138.
Note: While the taxonomic placement and general biological traits of Agelena consociata are documented in arachnological databases, detailed species‑specific studies are limited. Consequently, some aspects of its morphology, ecology, and distribution remain insufficiently described in the broader scientific literature.