Spider Idenitfication?

[japm]

Hello all. I've spent hours and hours Googling this creature, but I've had _no_ success. I hope someone with a working knowledge of spiders can help me out. I've never seen this kind of spider locally, so I'm tempted to think it arrived in one of the bags of potting soil we purchased / opened today (or one of the plants we bought!)

This afternoon a perfectly lovely spider crept into the house from the patio. She was about the size of a quarter total (including legs), and was a smooth, glossy black. A number (perhaps six) white dots were on the back of the very round, plump abdomen (I never saw the underside).

I've no photos to share, as my arachniphobic partner grabbed a newspaper and thrust (threw, more like) it back outside. Still, if anyone can suggest what this might have been, I would certainly appreciate it !

(I'm in the U. S. Pacific Northwest, if that helps) Thanks! japm

[Mark Herbert]

The only spider I could think of that is black with white spots on its dorsal surface is the daring jumping spider, Phidippus audax. But they are not smooth and glossy, they are hairy, and don't get much bigger than a nickel in legspread. A large one lives in my house and periodically greets me in the shower. They seem to be rather intelligent and can be very amusing. They also are very attractive, with metallic green chelicerae. They aren't likely to bite, but allegedly have a bite similar to, but less severe than, the brown recluse.

[japm]

thoroughly glossy black excepting the white dots. It was pretty unique, and I still haven't a clue as to what it was. Thanks again. japm