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Project Noah Nature School
Asianopus subrufa
At first sight it appeared as a bunch of tangled sticks. Leg span estimated at 170mm (spider measured at 112mm with legs flexed) A handsome narrow body with cream and tan lines. This one male with large black boxing-glove palps.
Under security lighting at a local school.
"..in genus, Deinopis, two of the rear eyes (PME) are enormously enlarged. Their great, curved lenses face forward like twin search-lights, giving the spiders a rather menacing appearance (the 'ogre-faced spiders'). The two biggest eyes are specialised for providing outstanding low-light night vision. They have enormous, compound lenses that give a wide field of view and gather available light very efficiently. The lenses have an F number of 0.58 which means they can concentrate available light more efficiently than a cat (F 0.9) or an owl (F 1.1). Each night a large area of light sensitive membrane is manufactured within these eyes (and rapidly destroyed again at dawn). This remarkable combination of large, powerful lenses and the nightly production of new light-sensitive membrane, enables net-casting spiders to accurately track and 'net' their prey at night. Interestingly, they do this without the help of a tapetum, the reflecting layer present in other spiders with highly sensitive indirect eyes. White faecal spots on a leaf below the net are aiming points placed there by the spider. " - http://australianmuseum.net.au/how-spide...
Finally found the blue web too http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/193...
Name changed to Asianopus subrufa
Spotted on Jan 15, 2014
Submitted on Jan 15, 2014
17 Comments
Finally found the blue web too http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/193...
Great shots, Mark!
Finally you see one. They are quite impressive aren't they. I saw mine at a local school too, http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/821...
but had to go to Cairns to see the female.
Thanks Sergio. One of those finds that you can't stop smiling.
Great spotting, Mark.
Thanks Aaron. Yes Arya. It's like a very stretchy postage stamp. http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/18990161
Net casting? Does that mean they weave a net, carry it, then throw the 'net' on their prey?
Excellent spotting, Mark. I look forward to your next one with a casting net!
Yes, I found my one to be very friendly, non-aggressive, pretty relaxed. Haven't seen it since our photo session though. This looks to be about the same size as my fella, but more grey tones. Just so interesting, they just force you to look at them more closely.
Very spectacular KD. And quite cooperative too. I would love to see a meeting between this and the local stick insects. :)
Mark you found one of the big ones!! Aren't they spectacular spiders.
Wonderful series and information, Mark!
Thanks Lauren and Bill. I've found a couple of tiny ones before so this was a real shock. Apparently the nets they make are sometimes bright blue so I'm on the lookout for some of those now.
That is an amazing spider Mark! I've never seen anything quite like it!
Incredible spider. It would be fun to see it in action!
http://calamvalecreek.awardspace.com/net...
"Size:
Full size, the net-casting spider may be as large as an adult's palm if its legs are outstretched. Body length is around 20-25 millimetres (1 inch)"
A true giant!