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It's a little over 1" long including legs, and I found it in my basement in Pennsylvania. My guess is a funnel weaver, which would be nice since then I can free it (right?) from the tin can it's currently sitting in.

spider

Thanks!

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    $\begingroup$ It is not a Brown Recluse, but it doesn't look like any of the other spiders in that document either. This isn't an ID, but it might at least help you feel a little better about it. $\endgroup$ – user137 Jun 28 '16 at 12:12
  • $\begingroup$ I've changed the title so that it uses the verb "identify" instead of the noun abbreviation, "ID". There was also no need for a question mark as your title was not a question. $\endgroup$ – David Jun 28 '16 at 18:57
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I think it's a common wolf spider, which closely resemble funnel weavers. It's almost a toss-up. I can't tell from the resolution of your photograph, but funnel weavers have spiny legs whereas the wolf spider has smooth legs and has a bit more of a difference in the comparative size of the abdomen to thorax.

Wolf spider (coloration varies) vs. funnel weaver (in this case, a barn dweller)

enter image description hereenter image description here

Another distinctive feature of the wolf spider are the two especially large eyes (The Tenegra domestica's eye arrangement is different) which gives the wolf spider such great eyesight. If the legs are smooth, and you shine a light on your spider and see two eyes shine back at you (called eyeshine), I think you have your answer.

Wolf spiders can be found in a wide range of habitats both coastal and inland. These include shrublands, woodland, wet coastal forest, alpine meadows, suburban gardens, and homes.

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  • $\begingroup$ I let it out of the tin can after user137 ID'd it as not a Brown Recluse, but thanks for the details, especially the bit about eyeshine. $\endgroup$ – lamb_da_calculus Jun 29 '16 at 11:33
  • $\begingroup$ Based on abdominal coloration I'd go with funnel weaver, but it's not really my area. $\endgroup$ – arboviral Jul 8 '16 at 8:19
  • $\begingroup$ @arboviral - It's not my area either. :) I agree that the abdominal coloration (and thoracic) is a dead ringer, but the wolf spider coloration is highly variable, and the abdomen shape/size is no help. Unfortunately the specimen is free now, so we'll never know for sure. $\endgroup$ – anongoodnurse Jul 8 '16 at 12:25
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Yes, it's Tegenaria domestica, the common funnelweaver House Spider. It's not a wolf spider; the color patterns on both abdomen and cephalothorax are completely consistent with Tegenaria, but not terribly like the wolf spiders common in our area. I also find the Tegenaria cephalothorax shape to be more blocky in the front than the normal Wolf Spider shape, but that's a sort of subjective call. You should be able to find more of them in your basement, especially if you have a furnace or laundry area with bare blocks for walls. When you find another one, look for the two tailpipe spinnerets sticking out the back end - while not as long as on the outdoor Agelenids, the spinnerets on these indoor ones are still noticeable. Wolf Spiders don't have that.

Source - any of the spider guides, but let's go with Bug Guide on this one: https://bugguide.net/node/view/31445 T. domestica

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  • $\begingroup$ Thanks for the answer. Species ID answers need to be accompanied by a proper source, and preferably an image of the species you think it is. $\endgroup$ – AliceD♦ Nov 16 '17 at 8:12
  • $\begingroup$ Ah - well, for sources, try Kaston, BJ 1972 How to Know the Spiders (which I realize is more of a lab manual, and which is somewhat outdated, but which is useful also for field work) and perhaps also Cushing and Ubick 2009, Spiders of North America: An Identification Manual and the very attractive (the book, not the author, although I'm sure Mr. Bradley is also lovely) Bradley 2012, Common Spiders of North America. Also, approximately 40 years of personal experience, although naturally that is a somewhat subjective qualification. $\endgroup$ – John Robinson Nov 20 '17 at 12:59
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    $\begingroup$ For images of Tegenaria domestica, I could hardly do better than the photo which appears in the original post, but let me add a few to it (from this link): bugguide.net/node/view/31445 Edit: I seem unable to post images, but when I figure out how to do it, I shall return and toss them in. $\endgroup$ – John Robinson Nov 20 '17 at 13:02

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