Clusterspike False Indigo vs Comb-footed spider

Amorpha crenulata compared with Parasteatoda tabulata

Key Differences

• Clusterspike False Indigo is Critically Endangered while Comb-footed spider is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Clusterspike False Indigo	Comb-footed spider
Kingdom	Plantae (Plants)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)	Arachnida (Arachnids)
Order	Fabales (Legumes & Allies)	Araneae (Araneae)
Family	Fabaceae	Theridiidae
Genus	Amorpha	Parasteatoda
Species	Amorpha crenulata	Parasteatoda tabulata

Conservation Status

Clusterspike False Indigo

CR — Critically Endangered

Comb-footed spider

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Clusterspike False Indigo	Comb-footed spider
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Clusterspike False Indigo

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

Comb-footed spider

Habitat

Typically found in terrestrial habitats from forests to deserts.

Range

Distributed across Denmark, Germany, Sweden, and United States.

Clusterspike False Indigo

Amorpha crenulata, known as clusterspike false indigo or crenulate lead plant, is a critically endangered flowering shrub in the family Fabaceae with a highly restricted distribution confined to Miami-Dade County in southern Florida, USA. This species represents one of North America's rarest plants, with remaining populations numbering in the hundreds of individuals occurring in pine rockland habitat, an ecosystem itself ranked among the most imperiled in the United States. Pine rocklands are fire-dependent communities on exposed oolitic limestone, characterized by an open canopy of slash pine over diverse understory, and have been reduced to less than two percent of their historical extent by urban development in the Miami metropolitan area. Amorpha crenulata produces elongated spikes of small purple flowers typical of the genus and was historically more widespread across the Miami Rock Ridge before land development eliminated most habitat. Current populations exist primarily within Everglades National Park and a few private preserves. Its Critically Endangered status reflects the tiny remaining population, extreme habitat restriction, ongoing threats from urbanization, altered fire regimes, and sea-level rise that threatens low-elevation limestone habitats. Conservation efforts focus on habitat protection, controlled burning to maintain pine rockland structure, and ex situ seed banking.

Comb-footed spider

<em>Parasteatoda tabulata</em> is an arachnid in the family Theridiidae, commonly grouped with comb-footed spiders. It has been recorded from Europe and the United States, indicating a broad distribution across temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. Like other members of the family Theridiidae, <em>P. tabulata</em> constructs irregular, tangled cobwebs in sheltered locations such as corners of buildings, under eaves, rock crevices, and dense vegetation. The species uses its characteristically comb-like hind tarsal setae to manipulate silk and wrap prey. It is a generalist predator of small insects and other arthropods that become ensnared in its web. Members of this family are small spiders, generally spending their adult lives in close association with their webs. The species has not been formally assessed by the IUCN, and specific quantitative biological trait data are not available in the current record.