I found this cool creature while on my visit to California. It is often misidentified as the Brown Recluse Spider, due to similarities of coloration, body proportions, leg length, and even leg positioning prior to movement. Their common name False Wolf Spiders comes from their physical similarity to Wolf Spiders, though they can be distinguished from Wolf Spiders by their two rows of eyes that are more equal in size than those of true Wolf Spiders.
This species is often found in areas of dense human population. They are most common from the northernmost portions of California to the southern portions just north of the mountains near Los Angeles Basin. They often reside in redwood forests and present in cabins in the woods. Due to its large size, the False Wolf Spider is one of the most commonly feared species, though the venom of these spiders is not toxic to people.
False Wolf Spiders are a small spider family, with only 181 known species. Like true Wolf Spiders they hunt their prey freely without a web. However, unlike Wolf Spiders, they are cribellate spiders, meaning they produce a very fine, crimped spider silk known as cribellum wool. However, this is no longer used to build webs for capture ng prey, but instead is used only in the area of the retreat and to protect the eggs.
This particular specimen was found in a house. Even if you are not a fan of spiders, leaving a False Wolf Spider and other hunting spiders you find indoors might actually help reduce not only the number of insects in your home, but also its overall spider population. Mostly nocturnal, it is shy and tends to avoid humans. This species is Titiotus californicus, all 16 species of the genus Titiotus can be found residing in California.
This eight-legged wonder was a neat and unexpected find on my trip.