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Hello arachnophiles.

A nice red spider from Zonhoven, Belgium - 09-10-2010.

Thanks!

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Hello!

Male Larinioides sp. (Araneidae). I can't tell the species, looks rather unusual to me...

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Thanks Juergen.

Howcome it looks unusual?

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"Usual" for me is L. cornutus, it's the only species I often find here. But is has a broader border of the V-marking on the opisthosoma. Such a small V should occur in the rarer L. patagiatus (I have never seen this species) and in L. sclopetarius, which is normally much darker (there are light brown individuals, but I did not see such a reddish one).

Perhaps the habitat would help:
L. cornutus: at reed and higher grasses in moist areas, often on meadows near brooks or rivers
L. patagiatus: a species that loves drier conditions, nets often higher above the ground, at hedges or tree twigs
L. sclopetarius: a typical species at buildings (bridges etc.) directly close to water in cities or villages

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I found it on vegetation in a moist area with lots of ponds. It sat on a leaf in the sun.

Looks like the perfect habitat for L. cornutus.

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Hi!



Yes. Then it's most likely an unusually coloured L. cornutus. The males are especially variable.

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Thanks!

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I got confirmation from Koen van Keer - our own Belgian spider authority - this actually is L. patagiatus.

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That explains, why I was not very happy with cornutus and the narrow "V" at the start .