Arachnura higginsi
| Arachnura higginsi | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Tailed Spider female juvenile | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Suborder: | Araneomorphae |
| Family: | Araneidae |
| Genus: | Arachnura |
| Species: | A. higginsi |
| Binomial name | |
| Arachnura higginsi (Koch, 1872) | |
| Synonyms | |
|
* Epeira higginsii | |
Arachnura higginsi, known as the Tailed Spider or Scorpion Tailed Spider and the Scorpion Orb Weaver is a common Australian spider belonging to the family Araneidae. It occurs in many parts of Australia.
Description and Habit
The body length of males is 2 mm and females around 16 mm. Body colour varies from cream to brown. Juveniles may be brightly coloured. The tiny male does not possess a tail. The prominent tail is somewhat similar to a scorpion, though the creature is harmless to humans. The web is near ground level, on an angle or sometimes horizontal. Small flying insects are the usual prey.
Egg sacs number up to eight. They are oval in shape, 5 mm x 4 mm of tough, brown silk with a woolly appearance. Egg sacs are added across missing sectors of the web. Eggs are creamy, 0.8mm in diameter, 50 to 60 in number, not sticky.
References
- Australian Spiders in Colour - Ramon Mascord 1970 SBN 589 07065 7
- Platnick, Norman I. (2009): The world spider catalog, version 9.5. American Museum of Natural History.