|
Genus: Clubiona
Life
> Eukaryotes
>
Opisthokonta >
Metazoa
(animals) > Bilateria > Ecdysozoa > Panarthropoda > Tritocerebra >
Arthropoda > Arachnomorpha > Cheliceriformes > Chelicerata > Euchelicerata
> Arachnida > Araneae
> Araneomorpha > Family: Clubionidae
Clubiona is derived from the Greek "Kleos" meaning "glory"
and "bios" meaning "life".
Clubiona is about 5-12 mm long, pale straw-coloured with
the legs and carapace sometimes slightly darker in colour. Some species may have
chevron markings on the abdomen. The eyes are uniform in size and are arranged
in 2 rows of 4. The first and fourth pairs of legs are the longest and almost
equal in length compared to Cheiracanthium having the first pair longest.
Clubiona is a nocturnal, free-ranging spider that
aggressively chases prey on vegetation. With a speedy dash and a final jump, the
prey is usually caught with its first pair of legs. Clubiona is an important
agricultural pest controller and is very common in Proteaceae. Commonly called
leaf-curling spiders, they construct sac retreats in a curled leaves or blades
of grass and also under bark.
There are other terrestrial spider families found outside
the home that are often confused with sac spiders but unlike Clubiona, the eyes
are grouped in clusters. For example, Caponiidae (orange lungless spider) and
Dysdera (the long or giant-fanged six-eyed spider) (Dysderidae) which has an
enormous pair of fangs and is orange to reddish brown in colour.
Text by Norman Larsen ©. |
