Trachyzelotes pedestris
{{Short description|European ground spider}}
{{Speciesbox
| image = 2016 06 15 Spinne.jpg
| genus = Trachyzelotes
| species = pedestris
| authority = (C. L. Koch, 1837)
}}
Trachyzelotes pedestris, The yellow-legged zipper spider,{{cite web |title=Yellow-legged Zipper Spider (Trachyzelotes pedestris) |url=https://uk.inaturalist.org/taxa/507471-Trachyzelotes-pedestris |website=iNaturalist United Kingdom |access-date=November 23, 2022 |language=en-GB}} is a species of Trachyzelotes ground spider first described by C.L.Koch in 1837.{{cite web |title=Summary for Trachyzelotes pedestris (Araneae)|url=https://srs.britishspiders.org.uk/portal.php/p/Summary/s/Trachyzelotes+pedestris |website=SRS British Spiders |access-date=November 23, 2022 |language=en-GB}}
Description
Embolus pointing in longitudinal direction of palpal. Epigyne with distinct median plate. Prosoma dark rust brown to brown-black. Chelicerae frontally densely provided with spines. Legs light yellow to orange. Femur darker. Opisthosoma male: with dark brown scuticula.{{cite web |title=araneae -Trachyzelotes pedestris|url=https://araneae.nmbe.ch/data/973/Trachyzelotes_pedestris |website=araneae.nmbe.ch |access-date=November 23, 2022 |language=en-GB}} {{cite journal |last1=Harvey |first1=P |last2=Davidson |first2=M |last3=Dawson |first3=I |last4=Fowles |first4=A |last5=Hitchcock |first5=G |last6=Lee |first6=P |last7=Merrett |first7=P |last8=Russell-Smith |first8=A |last9=Smith |first9=H |title=A review of the scarce and threatened spiders (Araneae) of Great Britain: Species Status No.22 |journal=NRW Evidence Report |date=September 2017 |issue=11 |page=165 |url=https://www.britishspiders.org.uk/sites/default/files/2021-03/Spider%20Status%20Review%20Report%20Sept%2017.pdf |access-date=November 23, 2022}}
Body length male: 4.5-6 mm
Body length female: 6.6-9.4 mm
Range
In Britain, this species is confined to southern Britain south of a line from Norfolk to Herefordshire. It is widespread in western and central Europe as far north as Sweden, and as far South as Czech Republic.{{cite web |title=Czech Arachnological Society Trachyzelotes pedestris (C.L. Kock|url=https://www.arachnology.cz/druh/trachyzelotes-pedestris-753.html?jazyk=en |website=arachnology.cz |access-date=November 23, 2022 |language=en-GB}}
Trachyzelotes pedestris can be found in the following European countries: Austria, Belgium, Britain, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Macedonia, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sicily, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and Ukraine.{{Cite web |date=2023-06-04 |title=Trachyzelotes pedestris (C.L. Koch, 1837) |url=https://fauna-eu.org/cdm_dataportal/taxon/4e849e6d-b15e-4b31-bab0-fca02ceaa1ca |access-date=2023-06-04 |website=Fauna Europaea}}
Habitat and distribution
Trachyzelotes pedestris usually occurs in chalk and limestone grassland, often under stones in fairly open habitat. In Essex it occurs on dry south-facing grasslands, landslip areas and at the base of sea walls. It has occasionally been found in open sandy areas on Breckland heaths. P. Merrett notes an occurrence in his kitchen sink! (limestone grassland nearby). Egg-sacs are deposited under stones. Adults of both sexes have been recorded between May and August, mainly in June.