''Zora spinimana'' is a prowling spider of the family Miturgidae with a

Palearctic The Palearctic or Palaearctic is the largest of the eight biogeographic realms of the Earth. It stretches across all of Eurasia north of the foothills of the Himalayas, and North Africa. The realm consists of several bioregions: the Euro-Sibe ...

distribution. It is the type species of the genus '' Zora''.

Description

The females are 5-7.7 mm in length, the males 4.5–5 mm. The

epigyne The epigyne or epigynum is the external genital structure of female spiders. As the epigyne varies greatly in form in different species, even in closely related ones, it often provides the most distinctive characteristic for recognizing species. ...

has a small groove and a larger spermatheca. The species is very similar to ''

Zora silvestris ''Zora silvestris'' is a prowling spider in the family Miturgidae which is found in Europe and Central Asia. Description The females are in length, the males . The epigyne has a quite distinct groove. This species and the related ''Zora spinima ...

'' but the brown lateral bands on the carapace are narrower than the yellow bands, whereas in ''Z. silvestris'' the brown lateral bands are wider than the yellowish bands. ''Z. spinimana'' is slightly larger than ''Z. silvestris'' and the overall yellow colour of ''Z. spinimana'' has a warmer hue. ''Z. spinimana'' has three pairs of ventral spines on metatarsus I and II, but ''Z. silvestris'' has only two.

Biology

The female is often found sitting on a white sheet of silk which she spins to protect her egg sac. Adults, of both sexes, may be recorded throughout the year, but mostly from late spring into the autumn, with two apparent peaks in early to mid-summer and the autumn.

Habitat

The species is often found in grassland, normally near the ground in grass roots and leaf litter but also under stones or other objects. It can also be found in other habitats such as heathland, open woodland and raised bogs.

Distribution

''Zora spinimana'' has a

distribution. In Europe this is a common species in western and central Europe but in Great Britain it is commoner in the south and in eastern Scotland but it becomes more localised in northern England and western Scotland.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q1059357 Miturgidae Spiders of Europe Palearctic spiders Spiders described in 1833