Parawixia dehaani

Parawixia dehaani
Female
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Infraorder: Araneomorphae
Family: Araneidae
Genus: Parawixia
Species: P. dehaani
Binomial name
Parawixia dehaani
((Doleschall, 1859))[1]
Synonyms[1]
  • Epeira dehaani Doleschall, 1859 (as E. dehaanii)
  • Epeira spectabilis Doleschall, 1859
  • Epeira caputlupi Doleschall, 1859
  • Epeira bogoriensis Doleschall, 1859
  • Epeira kandarensis Thorell, 1877
  • Epeira submucronata Simon, 1887
  • Epeira caestata Thorell, 1890
  • Aranea dehaani (Doleschall, 1859)
  • Araneus caputlupi (Doleschall, 1859)
  • Araneus dehaani (Doleschall, 1859)
  • Araneus submucronatus (Simon, 1887)

Parawixia dehaani, known in Australia as the abandoned-web orb-weaver, is a species of orb weaver spider from the family Araneidae which is widely distributed in Australasia and eastern Asia.[1] It is common in gardens, leading to it sometimes being known by the name common garden spider.[2] The specific name is sometimes spelt dehaanii.[1]

Description

The female Parawixia dehaani is a large, dark brown spider with variable patterns on the abdomen. The most noticeable field characteristic is the triangular abdomen having corners with sharp spikes.[3]

Distribution

The species is found from India to the Philippines, New Guinea[1] and Australia.[4] It has also been recorded in Pakistan.[5]

Habitat

Parawixia dehaani is found in gardens, disturbed areas and nearby bushland.[4]

Biology

Parawaixia dehaani is nocturnal and feeds mainly on moths. During the day the spider shelters under a leaf in the vegetation.[2] It builds a vertical orb web with an open hub, which often looks damaged, with sections missing, hence the Australian common name, abandoned-web orb-weaver.[4] When disturbed the spiders falls to the ground and plays dead with its legs retracted.[4] Bats have been recorded as being captured by this spider.[6]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Parawixia dehaani (Doleschall, 1859)". Natural History Museum Bern. Retrieved 18 September 2016.
  2. 1 2 "Common Garden Spider Parawixia dehaani (Doleschall) 1859". Joseph K H Koh. Retrieved 18 September 2016.
  3. ↑ "South Indian Spiders". Division of Arachnology, Dept of Zoology, Sacred Heart College, Thevara, Kochi, Kerala, India. Retrieved 18 September 2016.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Parawixia dehaanii (Doleschall 1859) Abandoned-web Orb Weaver". Robert Whyte and Dr Greg Anderson. Retrieved 18 September 2016.
  5. ↑ Mukhtar, Muhammad Khalid; Shafaat, Yar Khan; Jabeen, Sidra; Tahir, Hafiz Muhammad; Qadir, Abdul; Raees Ahmad, Khawaja; Butt3, Abida; Arshad, Muhammad (2012). "A Preliminary Checklist of the Spider Fauna of Sargodha (Punjab), Pakistan". Pakistan J. Zool. 44 (5): 1245–1254.
  6. ↑ Nyffeler, M.; Knörnschild, M. (2013). "Bat Predation by Spiders". PLoS ONE. 8 (3).
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