Cheiracanthium punctorium

{{short description|Yellow sack spider}}

{{Speciesbox

| image = Cheiracanthium punctorium frei 1 17 Forst Jungfernhdeide Jg 46 070920.jpg

| image_caption = Female Cheiracanthium punctorium with drops of venom on its fangs

| image_upright = 1.1

| taxon = Cheiracanthium punctorium

| authority = (Villers, 1789)

| synonyms =

Aranea punctoria

Aranea nutrix

Clubiona nutrix

Cheiracanthium nutrix

Drassus maxillosus

Anyphaena nutrix

Cheiracanthium italicum

}}

Cheiracanthium punctorium, one of several species commonly known as the yellow sac spider, is a spider found from central Europe to Central Asia. They reach a length of about 15 mm, and their bite can penetrate human skin; the bite has been compared to a wasp sting, perhaps a bit more severe, although susceptible persons can have stronger reactions, like nausea.{{Cite journal|last=Papini|first=R|date=2012|title=Documented bites by a yellow sac spider (Cheiracanthium punctorium) in Italy: a case report|journal=Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins Including Tropical Diseases|volume=18|issue=3|pages=349–354|doi=10.1590/S1678-91992012000300014|doi-access=free}} Females build an egg sac of about 4 cm in high grass. It opens below and is aggressively defended.

Image:Dornfinger fg5.jpg

Image:Dornfinger fg2.jpg

In Germany it is the only "seriously" venomous spider, but is a rare species, occurring chiefly in the southern half. Notable numbers are found in the Kaiserstuhl region, the hottest part of the country. There is evidence that the species is spreading in northeastern Germany, e.g. Brandenburg. The main reason is an increase in fallow, uncultivated land in these areas, though changing weather patterns leading to increased aridity and less precipitation may also play a role. C. punctorium is most numerous in the steppes of Central Asia.

The genus Cheiracanthium was transferred from the Clubionidae to the Miturgidae,Platnick 2007 and then to the Cheiracanthiidae.{{citation |title=Gen. Cheiracanthium C. L. Koch, 1839 |work=World Spider Catalog |publisher=Natural History Museum Bern |url=http://www.wsc.nmbe.ch/genus/1950/Cheiracanthium |accessdate=2015-10-07 }}

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