Herennia is a genus of spiders in the Nephilidae family with Australasian distribution. While two species have been known since the 19th century, nine new species were described in 2005. Spiders in this genus are sometimes called coin spiders. While H. multipuncta is invasive and synanthropic, all other known species are endemic to islands.
These are seen on tree trunks or outer walls of building, construct a small orb web. It is only species of its genus Herennia found in India. This spider is called Herennia or the fluted orb weaving Spider. This genus has now been moved to the family Nephilidae. Earlier it was known Herennia ornatissima.
Like in the related genus Nephilengys, the much smaller males mutilate and sever their pedipalps, which are often found stuck in the epigynum or female genital openings. It is suggested that they act as mating plugs to prevent other males from mating with the female and thereby ensure the paternity of offspring. The males cannot mate subsequently and such "eunuch" individuals continue to stay near the female.
The underside of the abdomen is red, with a large black spot at the centre. The orb-web is spread only a few millimetres above the bark of trunks. The female sits on a silken cup spun in or near the centre of the web.
The body and leg shapes and the silver, black and yellow markings of Leucauge females make identification of the genus relatively easy. They have two rows of long, slender curved hairs on the femurs of the fourth leg. In most cases the web is slanted rather than vertical and the spider rests in the middle of the web with its underside facing upwards. Leucauge is a spider genus with pantropical distribution
Leucauge celebesiana, commonly called the black-striped orchard spider, is a species of spider belonging to the family Tetragnathidae. It is found from India to China, Japan, Sulawesi and New Guinea.
Like many of its congeners, this is a colourful and distinctive spider. It has a body length (excluding legs) of 13 mm. The abdomen is white with yellow-green sides with black stripes separating the white from the coloured flanks. Another black stripe runs right down the middle. This species constructs a web inclined at 45° and several individuals often build these webs close together.The type locality of L. celebesiana is Celebes; it is known from India to the Sunda Archipelago.
Leucauge dorsotuberculata Tikader, 1982
The web is a large horizontally-placed orb structure with a diameter of more than a metre. Active in the daytime. The entire web is often suspended by several long strands of silk attached to branches and leaves nearby.
This species is separated from other Leucauge spiders in by its pear-shaped abdomen and its unique fourth leg (right). In addition to the two rows of curved hairs (characteristic of Leucauge), this leg also has a thick brush of spines which are not present in most other species ofLeucauge. Members of the species Leucauge have silvery or golden spots on the abdomen.
Tetragnatha viridorufa Gravely, 1921
Dorsal surface in female is reddish and lateral sides greenish. The tip of the abdomen is blackish and slightly projects beyond the spinnerets. It has been recorded only from India so far. This species is common in urban and rural areas of Kerala usually found moist habitats.
Tetragnatha maxillosa is commonly known as the long-jawed spider. It has long legs and body, measuring 6 to 10 mm in length. Its eyes are arranged in two distinct rows. Its abdomen is brownish yellow, with or without markings and usually four or more times longer than it is wide. It has a 3-segmented tarsus.The male long-jawed spider has large chelicerae, which are as long as or longer than the carapace.
The carapace, sternum and chelicerae light brown to dark brown; legs yellowish brown; abdomen with indistinct dusky markings and covered with sparsely dusky silvery spangles dorsally, with a central dark gray stripe ventrally. The length varies from 6-12mm in females. The species is found from South Africa to Philippines.
Members of the species Tylorida have two rows of long, slender curved hairs on the femurs of the fourth leg and have silvery or golden spots on the abdomen. Members of the family Tetragnathidae build delicate orb-webs with open hubs. The webs are suspended horizontally or in an inclined plane. The species was known from Burma to New Guinea and Japan.
In resting position, the spider stretches its first legs forward and close together. Members of the species Tylorida have two rows of long, slender curved hairs on the femurs of the fourth leg and have silvery or golden spots on the abdomen. Members of the family Tetragnathidae build delicate orb-webs with open hubs. The webs are suspended horizontally or in an inclined plane. T. ventralis is larger and darker than T. striata; the epigynes, and the male palps are very similar. The type locality is Kandari, Celebes, and the species was known from Ceylon and India to New Guinea. Both species therefore live in nearly the same area and may even occur at the same localities. The whole abdomen is silvery, decorated with brownish grey.
Nephilengys is a genus of tropical spiders of the family Nephilidae consisting of six currently described species. They are called hermit spiders in South Africa. Females reach a body length of about 15 mm. The legs and palp are annulated yellow and black. Male body size less than 5 mm, with mostly grey-black legs. N. malabarensis is being preyed upon by the spider-eating jumping spider Portia.
N. malabarensis occurs in South, South-East and East Asia from India and SriLanka to the Philippines, north to Yunnan, China, north-east to Saga and Kompira, Japan and east to Ambon Island of Indonesia. It is common at human dwellings and less common in rainforest.
Nephilengys is the most synanthropic (found in and around human dwellings) of the nephilid genera. They build their webs against substrates such as tree trunks or walls. These can have a diameter of up to one meter. Nephilengys species incorporate a tubular retreat into their webs into which they will escape when disturbed. While the orbs of young spiders are roughly symmetric, adults place the web hub very close to the top frame. While most orb web spiders rebuild a damaged web completely, nephilid spiders, including Nephilengys, repair damaged parts. Unlike Nephila, Nephilengys does not produce yellow silk or a barrier web. Nephilengys are nocturnal spiders, spending most of the day in their retreat and nights at the hub.
Photo courtesy, flickr.com
Nephila pilipes is a species of golden orb-web spider. It can be found in Japan, China, Vietnam, Taiwan, Singapore, Myanmar, Indonesia, Thailand, Laos, Philippines, Sri Lanka, India, Papua New Guinea, and Northern Australia.
It is commonly found in primary and secondary forests and gardens. Females are large and grow to a body size of 30-50 mm (overall size upto 20 cm), with males growing to 5–6 mm. It is one of the biggest spiders in the world. The Nephila pilipes' web is vertical with a fine irregular mesh and not symmetrical, with the hub is usually nearer the top. Rather than egg sacks being hung in the web, a pit is dug which is then covered with plant debris or soil.The first, second and fourth pairs of legs of juvenile females have dense hairy brushes, but as the spider matures these brushes disappear.
They are found in the Primary and secondary forests of India, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Myanmar, Papua New Guinea, China, Japan, Northern Australia. The size in females ranges between 50-60 mm and male are only 4-5 mm in size. The cephalothorax is thin and flat with the cephalus raised. At the rear of the cephalus, there are two short horn-like projections. The abdomen is long, rounded, widest and truncated in the front, narrowing gradually to a rounded posterior. The abdomen covers pedicel and spinnerets. The legs are very long and red in colour. The front legs are about twice as long as the spider, thin, brittle and swollen at the joints. There is a longitudinal row of short spines on the femora. Carapace and abdomen is black in colour. The male is reddish brown in colour and hangs on the edge of the web and is very smaller than the female.
This species commonly known as JorÅ Spider, is a member of the golden orb-web spider group. The spider can be found in Japan, Korea, Taiwan and China. Due to the large size as well as the bright, unique colors of the species of the female Nephila, the spider is well-favored in Japan.
The web of female Nephila can reach one meter in width; the yellow threads appear rich gold in sunlight. The structure of the web seen in cross section is unusual for an orb web; it has 3 layers: the central orb, plus 2 irregular layers in front and behind the orb. The adult female individual has stripes of yellow and dark blue, with red towards the rear of the abdomen. In autumn, smaller male(s) may be seen in the female's web for copulating. After mating the female spins an egg sack on a tree, laying 400 - 1500 eggs in one sack. The life cycle ends by late autumn or early winter.
Its presence in India is doubtful.
LIST OF SPECIES RECORDED FROM TETRAGNATHIDAE IN INDIA
1. Guizygiella melanocrania(Thorell, 1887
2. Herennia ornatissima (Doleschall, 1859)
3. Leucauge argentata (O. P.-Cambridge, 1869)
4. Leucauge beata (Pocock, 1901)
5. Leucauge bengalensis Gravely, 1921
6. Leucauge celebesiana (Walckenaer, 1842)
7. Leucauge decorata (Blackwall, 1864)
8. Leucauge dorsotuberculata Tikader, 1982
9. Leucauge nicobarica (Thorell, 1891)
10. Leucauge pondae Tikader, 1970
11. Leucauge pusilla (Thorell, 1878)
12. Leucauge rubrotrivittata Simon, 1906
13. Leucauge tessellata (Thorell, 1887)
14. Leucauge tristicta (Thorell, 1891)
15. Meta abdomenalis Patel & Reddy, 1993
16. Meta simlaensis Tikader, 1982
17. Nephila clavata L. Koch, 1878
18. Nephila kuhlii (Doleschall, 1859)
19. Nephila pilipes (Fabricius, 1793)
20. Nephila pilipes jalorensis (Simon, 1901)
21. Nephila robusta Tikader, 1962
22. Nephilengys malabarensis (Walckenaer, 1842)
23. Opadometa fastigata (Simon, 1877)
24. Orsinome armata Pocock, 1901
25. Orsinome listeri Gravely, 1921
26. Orsinome marmorea Pocock, 1901
27. Pachygnatha silentvalliensis Biswas and Roy, 2004
28. Phonognatha vicitra Sherriffs, 1928
29. Tetragnatha andamanensis Tikader, 1977
30. Tetragnatha bengalensis Walckenaer, 1842
31. Tetragnatha chamberlini (Gajbe, 2004)
32. Tetragnatha ceylonica O. P.-Cambridge, 1869
33. Tetragnatha cochinensis Gravely, 1921
34. Tetragnatha coelestis Pocock, 1901
35. Tetragnatha delumbis Thorell, 1891
36. Tetragnatha fletcheri Gravely, 1921
37. Tetragnatha foliferens Hingston, 1927
38. Tetragnatha foveata Karsch, 1891
39. Tetragnatha geniculata Karsch, 1891
40. Tetragnatha iridescens Stoliczka, 1869
41. Tetragnatha isidis (Simon, 1880)
42. Tetragnatha javana (Thorell, 1890)
43. Tetragnatha mandibulata Walckenaer, 1842
44. Tetragnatha maxillosa Thorell, 1895
45. Tetragnatha paradisea Pocock, 1901
46. Tetragnatha parvula Thorell, 1891
47. Tetragnatha sutherlandi Gravely, 1921
48. Tetragnatha tenera Thorell, 1881
49. Tetragnatha vermiformis Emerton, 1884
50. Tetragnatha viridorufa Gravely, 1921
51. Tylorida culta (O. P.-Cambridge, 1869)
52. Tylorida ventralis (Thorell, 1877)
