Rural Funnel-web Spider
Tegenaria pagana
This record describes Tegenaria pagana (species). Recorded family: Agelenidae. Recorded order: Araneae.
Identification and Appearance
Tegenaria pagana is a species of funnel-web spider in the family Agelenidae. It is known as the house funnel-web spider and has a cosmopolitan distribution, being native to Europe and North Africa to Central Asia and introduced to numerous countries worldwide including the United States, Mexico, Brazil, Chile, Saint Helena, and South Africa.
Identification notes
Sternum: Male:
Wikipedia reference for Tegenaria pagana: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tegenaria pagana.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Arachnida
- Order
- Araneae (Spiders)
- Family
- Agelenidae (Funnel Weavers)
- Subfamily
- Ageleninae
- Genus
- Tegenaria
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Europe to Central Asia. Introduced to USA, Mexico, Brazil, Chile - AL, AZ, CA, LA, NM, OK, TX, and one questionable record from Altoona, PA.
About Spiders: the wider group
Order-level background for Araneae, the group containing Tegenaria pagana. 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 Rural Funnel-web Spider (6)
Photo credits: (c) Volker Boehlke, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Volker Boehlke | (c) Natalia Bulbulashvili, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Natalia Bulbulashvili | (c) Ariel Cabrera Foix, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), uploaded by Ariel Cabrera Foix | (c) Carlos Pinheiro, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Carlos Pinheiro | (c) david_cabanillas, all rights reserved | (c) Gustavo Fernando Brahamian, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Gustavo Fernando Brahamian | Contributed by Laura P.
Frequently Asked Questions About Rural Funnel-web Spider
What is Rural Funnel-web Spider?
Rural Funnel-web Spider (Tegenaria pagana) is a species in the family Agelenidae, within the order Araneae.
How big is Rural Funnel-web Spider?
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Female | ~6-9.9mm |
| Male | ~6.8.3mm |
How do you identify Rural Funnel-web Spider?
Sternum: Male:
Where is Rural Funnel-web Spider found?
Range: Europe to Central Asia. Introduced to USA, Mexico, Brazil, Chile - AL, AZ, CA, LA, NM, OK, TX, and one questionable record from Altoona, PA.