Parawixia dehaani, known in Australia as the abandoned-web orb-weaver, is a species of orb weaver spider from the family Araneidae which is widely distributed in Australasia and eastern Asia.[1] It is common in gardens, leading to it sometimes being known by the name common garden spider.[3] The specific name is sometimes spelt dehaanii.[1]
| Parawixia dehaani | |
|---|---|
| |
| Female | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Araneomorphae |
| Family: | Araneidae |
| Genus: | Parawixia |
| Species: | P. dehaani
|
| Binomial name | |
| Parawixia dehaani (Doleschall, 1859)[1]
| |
| Synonyms[1] | |
| |
Description
editThe female Parawixia dehaani is a large, dark brown spider with variable patterns on the abdomen. The most noticeable field characteristic is the triangular abdomen having corners with sharp spikes.[4]
Phylogeny
editClose relatives
editIt has a close relative Parawixia bistriata, which is mainly found in South America.
Distribution
editThe species is found from India to the Philippines, New Guinea[1] and Australia.[5] It has also been recorded in Pakistan.[6]
Habitat
editParawixia dehaani is found in gardens, disturbed areas and nearby bushland.[5]
Biology
editParawaixia dehaani is nocturnal and feeds mainly on moths. During the day the spider shelters under a leaf in the vegetation.[3] It builds a vertical orb web with an open hub, which often looks damaged, with sections missing, hence the Australian common name, abandoned-web orb-weaver.[5] When disturbed the spiders falls to the ground and plays dead with its legs retracted.[5] Bats have been recorded as being captured by this spider.[7]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e "Parawixia dehaani (Doleschall, 1859)". World Spider Catalog. Natural History Museum Bern. Retrieved 18 September 2016.
- ^ a b c Doleschall, C. L. (1859). "Tweede Bijdrage tot de kennis der Arachniden van den Indischen Archipel". Acta Societatis Scientiarum Indo-Neêrlandicae. 5: 1–60.
- ^ a b "Common Garden Spider Parawixia dehaani (Doleschall) 1859". Joseph K H Koh. Retrieved 18 September 2016.
- ^ "South Indian Spiders". Division of Arachnology, Dept of Zoology, Sacred Heart College, Thevara, Kochi, Kerala, India. Retrieved 18 September 2016.
- ^ a b c d "Parawixia dehaanii (Doleschall 1859) Abandoned-web Orb Weaver". Robert Whyte and Dr Greg Anderson. Retrieved 18 September 2016.
- ^ Mukhtar, Muhammad Khalid; Shafaat, Yar Khan; Jabeen, Sidra; Tahir, Hafiz Muhammad; Qadir, Abdul; Raees Ahmad, Khawaja; Butt3, Abida; Arshad, Muhammad (2012). "A Preliminary Checklist of the Spider Fauna of Sargodha (Punjab), Pakistan". Pakistan J. Zool. 44 (5): 1245–1254.
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Nyffeler, M.; Knörnschild, M. (2013). "Bat Predation by Spiders". PLOS ONE. 8 (3): e58120. Bibcode:2013PLoSO...858120N. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0058120. PMC 3596325. PMID 23516436.