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Araneus praesignis

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Araneus praesignis
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Infraorder: Araneomorphae
Family: Araneidae
Genus: Araneus
Species:
A. praesignis
Binomial name
Araneus praesignis

Araneus praesignis[1] is a species of orb-weaving spider found in Queensland, Australia, where it is widespread and common in well-vegetated areas. The Atlas of Living Australia[2] shows a record from New South Wales. It has bold black blobs on its rear, perhaps mimicking eyes. In 2014, Carly Brooke Martinetti gave it the common name "Alien Butt Spider,"[3] by which it became internationally known.[4][5][6][7] Due to its memorable common name and strange appearance, photographs of the spider have appeared in many online blogs and galleries.[8][9][10][11][12] The purported 2015 sighting from China[13] is of a different species of orb weaver because it has a different pattern of dark patches on the back, and the photo does not show the actual alien eyes from which the common name is derived.

Description and taxonomy

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Both males (body length 5 mm) and females (body length 7 mm) of Araneus praesignis have large black decorations on the dorsal posterior of the abdomen, which are thought to be a case of Batesian mimicry.[4] The spider was described by Ludwig Koch in Die Arachniden Australiens, 1872.

Biology

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Araneus praesignis shelters during the day in a silk-bound retreat made in a non-fully-closed leaf nearby, where its web is erected at night. Its food is night-flying insects and other invertebrates.[4] It is harmless to humans and can be handled by people without medical consequences, although allergic reactions may be possible.[14]

References

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  1. ^ Bern, Natural History Museum. "NMBE - World Spider Catalog". wsc.nmbe.ch. Retrieved 2018-07-01.
  2. ^ "Araneus praesignis | Atlas of Living Australia". bie.ala.org.au. Retrieved 2018-07-01.
  3. ^ "Alien Butt Spider Conquers Earth, Lives in Silk Leaf Huts". Featured Creature. 2014-12-18. Retrieved 2018-06-30.
  4. ^ a b c Whyte, Robert; Anderson, Greg (2017). A field guide to spiders of Australia. Clayton South, VIC. ISBN 9780643107076. OCLC 971943480.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  5. ^ Atkinson, Ron. "The Find-a-spider Guide - Araneus praesignis". www.findaspider.org.au. Retrieved 2018-07-01.
  6. ^ "Araneus praesignis (L. Koch, 1872) Alien Butt Spider". www.arachne.org.au. Retrieved 2018-07-01.
  7. ^ "Alien Butt Spider Araneus praesignis a perennial favourite". Flickr. Retrieved 2018-07-01.
  8. ^ Bowers, Mike (2017-06-06). "Close encounters of the furred kind: alien butt spider and friends – in pictures". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2018-07-01.
  9. ^ "Creepy 'alien butt spider' looks like something from another planet - Storytrender". Storytrender. 2017-05-11. Retrieved 2018-07-01.
  10. ^ "TIL the Alien Butt Spider has a butt that looks like an alien". Imgur. Retrieved 2018-07-01.
  11. ^ "Spiders". Pinterest. Retrieved 2018-07-01.
  12. ^ "microcosmos". Pinterest. Retrieved 2018-07-01.
  13. ^ Bryan, Chloe. "Otherworldly 'Alien Butt Spider' photographed in China". Mashable. Retrieved 2018-07-01.
  14. ^ "How you can cure your spider phobia". NewsComAu. Retrieved 2018-07-01.