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.
| Araneus praesignis | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Araneomorphae |
| Family: | Araneidae |
| Genus: | Araneus |
| Species: | A. praesignis
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| Binomial name | |
| Araneus praesignis | |
Description and taxonomy
editBoth 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
editAraneus 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]
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Araneus praesignis genitalia, left male, right female -
On a leaf of Mallotus claoxyloides, showing butt -
In curved leaf retreat -
In ethanol, from above -
Oblique view, facing
References
edit- ^ Bern, Natural History Museum. "NMBE - World Spider Catalog". wsc.nmbe.ch. Retrieved 2018-07-01.
- ^ "Araneus praesignis | Atlas of Living Australia". bie.ala.org.au. Retrieved 2018-07-01.
- ^ "Alien Butt Spider Conquers Earth, Lives in Silk Leaf Huts". Featured Creature. 2014-12-18. Retrieved 2018-06-30.
- ^ 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) - ^ Atkinson, Ron. "The Find-a-spider Guide - Araneus praesignis". www.findaspider.org.au. Retrieved 2018-07-01.
- ^ "Araneus praesignis (L. Koch, 1872) Alien Butt Spider". www.arachne.org.au. Retrieved 2018-07-01.
- ^ "Alien Butt Spider Araneus praesignis a perennial favourite". Flickr. Retrieved 2018-07-01.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "Creepy 'alien butt spider' looks like something from another planet - Storytrender". Storytrender. 2017-05-11. Retrieved 2018-07-01.
- ^ "TIL the Alien Butt Spider has a butt that looks like an alien". Imgur. Retrieved 2018-07-01.
- ^ "Spiders". Pinterest. Retrieved 2018-07-01.
- ^ "microcosmos". Pinterest. Retrieved 2018-07-01.
- ^ Bryan, Chloe. "Otherworldly 'Alien Butt Spider' photographed in China". Mashable. Retrieved 2018-07-01.
- ^ "How you can cure your spider phobia". NewsComAu. Retrieved 2018-07-01.