Nephila komaci (Komac’s nephila)

Nephila komaci (Komac’s nephila)

Life > Eukaryotes > Opisthokonta > Metazoa (animals) > Bilateria > Ecdysozoa > Panarthropoda > Tritocerebra > Arthropoda > Arachnomorpha > Cheliceriformes > Chelicerata > Euchelicerata > Arachnida > Araneae > Araneomorpha > Family: Nephilidae > Genus: Nephila

Description

Nephila komaci is the largest orb web spider yet discovered. This spider was only recently discovered in museum collections and described by Kuntner and Coddington (2009). The female has a leg span of 120mm and a body length of up to 40mm. There are no images of live spiders. The legs and palps are a dark red in alcohol-preserved specimens and, as with Nephila inaurata, the abdomen extends considerably beyond the spinnerets. The legs have no brushes on the tibia.

Distribution and habitat

Recorded from Sodwana Bay and Tembe Elephant Park (Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa), as well as Madagascar and Zanzibar (Tanzania).

Derivation of names

The specific name is in honour of the late Andrej Komac (friend of Matjaž Kuntner) who died in a diving accident.

Prey capture

See under Nephila.

Mating and reproduction

See under Nephila.

Ecological interactions

See under Nephila.

Publications

Kuntner M, Coddington JA. 2009. Discovery of the largest orbweaving spider species: the evolution of gigantism in Nephila. PLoS ONE 4(10): e7516. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0007516