Found this guy wandering around the kitchen this evening. I don't think I've ever seen one quite like it. Anyone have any idea what it might be? Oh, and he's probably about the size of a nickel toe to toe (maybe a touch bigger).
That appears to be an "Orb Weaving" spider common in New Mexico, Arizona, Texas, etc.
It could also be a brown recluse spider, but those tend to have longer, thinner legs.
Another possibility is the huntsman spider, also found in southern United States and Mexico.
If it is the orb weaver or huntsman, then you're safe.
ETA: After further inspection, that's almost definitely a huntsman spider.
It's not a grass spider. They are not commonly found in southwest US (though it is possible) and grass spiders have much different skeletal structure and patterns.
It seems very unlikely to me that it's a huntsman, as they tend to be tropical, or semi-tropical, spiders, not arid-climate spiders, and OP is in New Mexico.
There are about 175 species of wolf spiders world-wide. The wolf spider belongs to the Lycosidae family in the order Aranedia. The venom of the wolf spider is poisonous, but usually not overly harmful. Bites cause pain, inflammation, itchiness and tenderness. Lymph nodes may become swollen due to the immune system's defensive reaction to the invading venom.
I think I recently ran into the same spider .... in the middle of the night in South Texas. There were millions of them in a field and shining the torch around in the dark made all their eyes glint bright green.
I think I recently ran into the same spider .... in the middle of the night in South Texas. There were millions of them in a field and shining the torch around in the dark made all their eyes glint bright green.
That is definitely a huntsman, the 6 dots on the back and the thick legs are instant giveaways. I think the spider we're working with here could be either one, but the pattern on it's back doesn't seem to match the wolf spider or the huntsman.
I still think it is a Wolf spider. Huntsman look more like crabs with the first 3 pair of legs angled forward. Good pics here
Interesting stuff, just for info about recluse..."The quickest way to positively identify if a spider might be a recluse spider is to examine the arrangement of the eyes. This requires some magnification. Recluse spiders have three pairs of eyes, a very unusual feature among spiders. Overwhelmingly, most spiders found in Colorado have four pairs. The arrangement of the eyes on the recluse spiders is one pair in the front, the other two along the sides, forming a semicircle." //www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/insect/05607.html
I disagree with the Huntsman ID. I believe, based on the abdomen marking that this is not a Wolf Spider either, but in fact a Parson Spider. The build of the legs makes me think it is not a web building spider either, so the Grass/Funnel Web spiders are ruled out. Note there are eastern and western varieties, and the actual coloration varies, whereas the marking on the abdomen does not.
Parson Spider ETA:
Based on your range, it wouldn't be too surprising for it to be either one, but proper ID to that level requires detailed examination.
I disagree with the Huntsman ID. I believe, based on the abdomen marking that this is not a Wolf Spider either, but in fact a Parson Spider. The build of the legs makes me think it is not a web building spider either, so the Grass/Funnel Web spiders are ruled out. Note there are eastern and western varieties, and the actual coloration varies, whereas the marking on the abdomen does not.
Parson Spider ETA:
Based on your range, it wouldn't be too surprising for it to be either one, but proper ID to that level requires detailed examination.
That's got to be it. The markings looked just like the ones on the Parson spider pictured in the link.
Glad to be of assistance. And for any of you out there that are wondering if it is dangerous, in the US you are relatively safe from any major effects of a spider bite unless you're dealing with a black widow female (very easy to identify, most don't actually realize what the male looks like, which is fine since he's harmless) or a species of recluse (which is widely, widely misidentified and causes mass hysteria periodically). Normal effects will be some itching and redness, soreness, maybe low swelling, while some individuals are more sensitive and these symptoms may be exacerbated. All in all not much worse than mosquito bites, if at all, since many spider bites do not inject venom. So don't be so terrified of spiders, since mosquitos are the ones that can give you nasty diseases and search you out ;)
The link that dacrazyrn put up (//www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/insect/05607.html is a good one as far as information goes on recluses. Besides, I know the guy who wrote it and he's a pretty good guy :)
