Artema atlanta is a species of spider of the family Pholcidae with a pantropical distribution. It is commonly known as the giant daddy-long-legs spider, in Australia[2] and South Africa.[3] With a body length of 8–11 mm, it is the largest pholcid in the world.[4]
| Artema atlanta | |
|---|---|
| |
| A. atlanta from Barrow Island, Western Australia | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Araneomorphae |
| Family: | Pholcidae |
| Genus: | Artema |
| Species: | A. atlanta
|
| Binomial name | |
| Artema atlanta Walckenaer, 1837[1]
| |
| Synonyms[1] | |
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Description
editSpecimens of both sexes have a body length of 8–11 mm.[5] Their first pair of legs is roughly 6.5 times the length of the body.[5]
Distribution
editA. atlanta can be found in all tropical regions, such as the Seychelles, India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Vietnam[5] and Brazil.[6] It can be found on every continent (apart from Antarctica).[6] It has been introduced into Belgium (Antwerp),[1] and North America, where (as of 2009) colonies can be found in southern Arizona and southeastern California in the United States.[4] Two spiders were found in a shipping container which arrived in England in 2004.[6] It is suggested that the species originates from the Old World, although it was first described from Brazil.[6]
References
edit- ^ a b c "Taxon details Artema atlanta Walckenaer, 1837", World Spider Catalog, Natural History Museum Bern, retrieved 2016-04-09
- ^ Queensland Museum: [1] Retrieved 2018-01-16.
- ^ Dippenaar-Schoeman, A. A field guide to the spiders of South Africa. LAPA Publishers, 2014.
- ^ a b BugGuide: Artema atlanta
- ^ a b c Saaristo MI 2001: Pholcid spiders of the granitic Seychelles (Araneae, Pholicidae). Phelsuma 9:15-17
- ^ a b c d Lee P 2005: An imported pholcid in Felixstowe. News. Br. arachnol. Soc. 102:7
Further reading
edit- van Keer, K. & van Keer, J. (2001): Ingeburgerde exotische trilspinnen (Araneae: Pholcidae) in Antwerpse haven en enkele algemene bedenkingen bij spinnenmigratie. Nwsbr. Belg. Arachnol. Ver. 16(3): 81–86.
External links
edit- PaDIL: Diagnostic images