About Tegenaria parietina (Fourcroy, 1785)
Tegenaria parietina, described by Fourcroy in 1785, is a spider species originally native to Europe. Today its distribution extends from Northern Africa to Central Asia and Sri Lanka, and from the West Indies to Uruguay and Argentina; populations in these latter South American and Caribbean regions may be introduced. In the United Kingdom, this species is the largest native spider, and it is commonly called the cardinal spider. The common name comes from two competing legends: one says Cardinal Wolsey was terrified of this spider at Hampton Court, while the other states he considered the spiders lucky and ordered that no one harm them. In 2013, the species Tegenaria taprobanica was reclassified as part of Tegenaria parietina.
