Gewächshaus-Mondspinne vs Zugewanderte Mondspinne

Parasteatoda tepidariorum compared with Parasteatoda tabulata

Key Differences

  • Gewächshaus-Mondspinne is Least Concern while Zugewanderte Mondspinne is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank Gewächshaus-Mondspinne Zugewanderte Mondspinne
Kingdom same Animalia (Tier) Animalia (Tier)
Phylum same Arthropoda (Gliederfüßer) Arthropoda (Gliederfüßer)
Class same Arachnida (Spinnentiere) Arachnida (Spinnentiere)
Order same Araneae (Webspinnen) Araneae (Webspinnen)
Family same Theridiidae Theridiidae
Genus same Parasteatoda Parasteatoda
Species Parasteatoda tepidariorum Parasteatoda tabulata

Evolutionary Relationship

Gewächshaus-Mondspinne and Zugewanderte Mondspinne share a common ancestor at the Genus level: Parasteatoda.

Conservation Status

Gewächshaus-Mondspinne

LC — Least Concern

Zugewanderte Mondspinne

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute Gewächshaus-Mondspinne Zugewanderte Mondspinne
Diet
Average Lifespan
Average Length
Average Weight

Habitat & Geographic Range

Gewächshaus-Mondspinne

Habitat

Typically found in terrestrial habitats from forests to deserts.

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (South Africa), Asia (Taiwan), Europe (7 countries), North America (Canada, United States), and South America (Colombia).

Zugewanderte Mondspinne

Habitat

Typically found in terrestrial habitats from forests to deserts.

Range

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

Gewächshaus-Mondspinne

The common house spider (Parasteatoda tepidariorum) is one of the most cosmopolitan of all spider species, having followed human civilization to virtually every inhabited corner of the globe. A member of the family Theridiidae, this small to medium-sized spider—females reaching 5–8 millimeters, males somewhat smaller—constructs the characteristic messy, three-dimensional cobwebs in sheltered corners of buildings, under eaves, in cellars, and in other human-modified structures worldwide. Originally native to North and South America, the species has spread through commerce and human transport to Europe, Asia, Africa, and beyond, where it thrives in the stable temperature and prey-rich conditions provided by human habitation. The web design is deceptively effective: irregular sticky threads radiate in all directions from a silk retreat, ensnaring flies, mosquitoes, ants, and other arthropods that blunder into the structure. Females are long-lived—surviving several years—and produce multiple egg sacs containing hundreds of eggs during a lifetime, contributing to the species' population resilience. Parasteatoda tepidariorum has become an important laboratory model organism for arachnid developmental biology, with its genome sequenced to facilitate studies of spider gene expression, venom evolution, and silk production. It is broadly classified as Least Concern given its cosmopolitan distribution and remarkable adaptation to anthropogenic environments.

Zugewanderte Mondspinne

<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.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 4 countries:

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