Potter’s Grass Spider
Agelenopsis potteri
This record describes Agelenopsis potteri (species). Recorded family: Agelenidae. Recorded order: Araneae.
Identification and Appearance
Hooked tip of embolus on the pedipalp Palp (ventral view) Again, note the hook at the tip of the embolus. Epigynum (ventral/ventral dissected/dorsal dissected) A side (lateral) view of the spider's head provides the best look at the distinctive hooked embolus. When photographing an unidentified grass spider, try to get a close-up shot from this angle.
Wikipedia reference for Agelenopsis potteri: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agelenopsis potteri.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Arachnida
- Order
- Araneae (Spiders)
- Family
- Agelenidae (Funnel Weavers)
- Subfamily
- Ageleninae
- Genus
- Agelenopsis (Grass Spiders)
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Nova Scotia west to Saskatchewan and Washington and south to Colorado
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Named in compliment to Richard Potter, Esq., M.A., Queen’s College, Cambridge, and Professor of Natural Philosophy in University College, London, collector of specimens described by Blackwall.*
About Spiders: the wider group
Order-level background for Araneae, the group containing Agelenopsis potteri. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
As of 2023, 51,673 spider species in 136 families have been recorded, though an estimated 150,000 species exist. Spiders rank 7th in total species diversity among all organism orders. Only 0.5% of spider species pose any risk to human health.
Ecological role of the group
Spider venom contains complex peptides with diverse pharmacological activities, making them valuable for drug development research. Spiders produce up to 7 types of silk from specialized glands. Spider silk genes have been inserted into mammals and plants for biotech applications.
Economic and practical significance of the group
The global spider community kills an estimated 400-800 million tons of prey annually (2017 study). Spiders provide billions of dollars in natural pest control for agriculture. Spider silk is 5× stronger than steel of the same diameter, driving a biomaterials research industry.
Recorded sources for this group: World Spider Catalog, PNAS, Nature, ScienceDirect. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of Potter’s Grass Spider (9)
Photo credits: (c) bob15noble, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by bob15noble | (c) Tom Murray, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Tom Murray | (c) Stewart Zeyl, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Stewart Zeyl | (c) Woldu Araya, all rights reserved, uploaded by Woldu Araya | (c) cheins1, all rights reserved, uploaded by cheins1 | (c) Сергій Оксененко, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Сергій Оксененко | (c) Ahmet, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Ahmet | Contributed by Abigail Parker; Additional contributions by Jeff Hollenbeck , cheins
Frequently Asked Questions About Potter’s Grass Spider
What is Potter’s Grass Spider?
Potter’s Grass Spider (Agelenopsis potteri) is a species in the family Agelenidae, within the order Araneae.
How do you identify Potter’s Grass Spider?
Hooked tip of embolus on the pedipalp Palp (ventral view) Again, note the hook at the tip of the embolus. Epigynum (ventral/ventral dissected/dorsal dissected)
Where is Potter’s Grass Spider found?
Range: Nova Scotia west to Saskatchewan and Washington and south to Colorado