Tetragnathidae Glenognatha

Glenognatha dentata (Zhu & Wen, 1978)

Four-spot Horizontal Orb Weaver

The name Glenognatha is derived from a compressed combination of the Greek word for "eyeball" and the name "Tetragnatha" (the genus to which Glenognatha is related). The name was given because the male palp of the first described species of this genus has a noticeably spherical bulb. Other characters that help to differentiate this genus from other tetragnathids include its relatively small size (<5mm), and details of its respiratory system and reproductive systems.

The species name "dentata", meaning "toothed", refers to a prominent series of tooth-like projections on a structure around the intromittent organ of the male palp (visible only under a microscope). Nevertheless, the species may be recognised in the field by the four dorsal black dots on the posterior half of the dorsum. The abdomen is short and ovoid, and is decorated dorsally with golden or silvery flecks. The chelicerae are stout, and slightly divergent in the male.

The spider may superficially resemble the four-spotted males of Hypsosinga pygmaea. However, G. dentata may be readily distinguished by the many minute dimple-like depressions on the sides of the carapace. It has more slender legs than H. pygmaea and constructs a delicate horizontal orb web (as against the vertically inclined orb web built by H. pygmaea).