Nursery Web Spider

Perenethis sindica

Description:

Perenethis sindica (Simon, 1897) This is a mid-sized spider and when I first encountered one, I mistook it for a Lynx Spider (Oxyopidae), but this one is about twice the size. The Cephalothorax and abdomen are somewhat elongated and are coloured yellowish brown along the sides. The legs are the same colour at the Femur, but darken on the way down to the feet which are almost black. Running along the top (the entire length of the body) there is a broad orange-brown stripe. This is in turn edged by thin black and then thicker white stripes.

Habitat:

Spotted in foliage around a swampy area at the end of a rice field. This ground is wet nearly all year round and has traditionally been used as a wallowing pool by water buffaloes that work on the farm. All of the specimens shown here were spotted on different days, but within a 10 metre radius. By putting them all together as one spotting, I hope to illustrate the density of the population of the species in this area and also give some indication of the life cycle. As far as I can make out, the female carries her eggs around in a sac until they are ready to hatch. Then she construct a nursery web to accomodate the hatchlings.

Species ID Suggestions

7 Comments

John B. a year ago

Hi grlambert, thank you for your suggestion about the mission "Parental Care in Insects and other Invertebrates". I will certainly do that. Your dog Graham looks happy and well cared for. It was so nice to see him. On another matter, I was looking at your spotting of an insect on some kind of pipe or tube. I am not certain, but it looks like a Western Conifer Seed Bug (Leptoglossus occidentalis). Maybe you can have a look at https://www.wildutah.us/html/insects_oth...
There are some pictures there which might help you. If it is not exactly correct, it might at least be a starting point for you to search through other similar bugs. John B.

grlambert a year ago

Also If you haven't noticed, but i changed my profile picture to a picture of my dog, named graham, he just got a hair cut, he's usually much more fluffy.

grlambert a year ago

Hi john,thanks for responding, that was cool of you. Also, because that has the spider and it babies you should add this to the " parental care in insects and other invertebrates" Group. If you haven't already. because that's what that group is for. - Grlambert

John B. a year ago

Hi grlambert, thank you for your comment. Yes, the little spiders do look cute, but not too cute. I didn't mention in my spotting (because I didn't have a picture to prove it), but i witnessed some of these little guys eating each other. Nature is wonderful but it can also be cruel. A little earlier, I noticed your Phidippus audax. I am not expert in spiders, but I think you are absolutely correct. Well spotted ! You said you liked my profile picture. That is a picture of my dog called "Jurgen". He was a wonderful companion. He died a few weeks ago aged almost 15 years old. I miss him. I hope you are enjoying Project Noah as much as I do. Best wishes and keep up the Spottings ! John B.