Die gewone reënspinnekop (Palystes superciliosus, voorheen P. natalius)[1] is 'n spesie van jagspinnekoppe inheems aan Suider-Afrika[2]. Dit is die mees algemene en wydverspreide spesie in die genus Palystes.
Sy verspreiding strek van KwaZulu-Natal in die ooste, weswaarts deur die provinsies van Mpumalanga, Limpopo en Noordwes in die noorde, en die Oos-Kaap en Wes-Kaap in die suide. Dit het 'n liggaamslengte van 25-30 mm. Die spesie is die eerste keer deur Ludwig Koch beskryf in 1875.
Sy gunstelinghabitat is kreupelhout en savannabos. Spinnekoppe in die Palystes genus staan algemeen bekend as reënspinnekoppe. Palystes-spinnekoppe sal dikwels huise betree voordat dit reën, waar hulle jag maak op geitjies, gewoonlik Afrogecko porphyreus in die Wes-Kaap, of Lygodactylus capensis in die oostelike dele van Suider-Afrika.
Mannetjies word gereeld van Augustus tot Desember gesien, waarskynlik op soek na wyfies.
Na die paringseisoen in die vroeë somer bou die wyfie 'n ronde eiersak van ongeveer 60-100 mm in grootte van sy, met takkies en blare daarin. Hierdie eiersakke word algemeen gesien vanaf November tot April. Die wyfie bou die sak oor 3-5 uur, waarna dit aggressief wag totdat haar spinnekoppe, wat binne die beskermende sak broei, ongeveer drie weke later uitkou. Wyfies sal ongeveer drie eiersakke bou oor hul twee jaar lewens. Baie tuiniers word gedurende hierdie tydperk deur beskermende Palystes-ma's gebyt.[3]
Die grootte van hierdie spinnekoppe, gekombineer met die geel en swart band op die onderkant van die bene wat blootgestel word wanneer die spinnekop in gevaar kom, gee hulle 'n vreeslike voorkoms.[1][3] 'n Eksperiment is in 1959 gedoen waar 'n Palystes superciliosus 'n volwasse marmot op die neus byt. Die marmot het binne 7 minute gesterf, wat gelei het tot 'n oortuiging dat die spinnekop se gif gevaarlik was. Nog verdere navorsing oor verdovende marmot het getoon dat die oorspronklike marmot eintlik aan skok gesterf het, eerder as as gevolg van die spinnekoppe se gif.[1] Die gewone reënspinnekop se byt is nie gevaarliker as 'n bysteek vir mense nie.[3] Die byt veroorsaak 'n brandende sensasie, asook swelling wat vir 'n paar dae duur. Dit herstel egter spontaan en volledig.[1]
Wyfie in Pretoria
Wyfie in Johannesburg
Onderkant van 'n mannetjie naby Somerset-Wes
Die gewone reënspinnekop (Palystes superciliosus, voorheen P. natalius) is 'n spesie van jagspinnekoppe inheems aan Suider-Afrika. Dit is die mees algemene en wydverspreide spesie in die genus Palystes.
Sy verspreiding strek van KwaZulu-Natal in die ooste, weswaarts deur die provinsies van Mpumalanga, Limpopo en Noordwes in die noorde, en die Oos-Kaap en Wes-Kaap in die suide. Dit het 'n liggaamslengte van 25-30 mm. Die spesie is die eerste keer deur Ludwig Koch beskryf in 1875.
Sy gunstelinghabitat is kreupelhout en savannabos. Spinnekoppe in die Palystes genus staan algemeen bekend as reënspinnekoppe. Palystes-spinnekoppe sal dikwels huise betree voordat dit reën, waar hulle jag maak op geitjies, gewoonlik Afrogecko porphyreus in die Wes-Kaap, of Lygodactylus capensis in die oostelike dele van Suider-Afrika.
Mannetjies word gereeld van Augustus tot Desember gesien, waarskynlik op soek na wyfies.
Na die paringseisoen in die vroeë somer bou die wyfie 'n ronde eiersak van ongeveer 60-100 mm in grootte van sy, met takkies en blare daarin. Hierdie eiersakke word algemeen gesien vanaf November tot April. Die wyfie bou die sak oor 3-5 uur, waarna dit aggressief wag totdat haar spinnekoppe, wat binne die beskermende sak broei, ongeveer drie weke later uitkou. Wyfies sal ongeveer drie eiersakke bou oor hul twee jaar lewens. Baie tuiniers word gedurende hierdie tydperk deur beskermende Palystes-ma's gebyt.
Die grootte van hierdie spinnekoppe, gekombineer met die geel en swart band op die onderkant van die bene wat blootgestel word wanneer die spinnekop in gevaar kom, gee hulle 'n vreeslike voorkoms. 'n Eksperiment is in 1959 gedoen waar 'n Palystes superciliosus 'n volwasse marmot op die neus byt. Die marmot het binne 7 minute gesterf, wat gelei het tot 'n oortuiging dat die spinnekop se gif gevaarlik was. Nog verdere navorsing oor verdovende marmot het getoon dat die oorspronklike marmot eintlik aan skok gesterf het, eerder as as gevolg van die spinnekoppe se gif. Die gewone reënspinnekop se byt is nie gevaarliker as 'n bysteek vir mense nie. Die byt veroorsaak 'n brandende sensasie, asook swelling wat vir 'n paar dae duur. Dit herstel egter spontaan en volledig.
Wyfie in Pretoria
Wyfie in Johannesburg
Onderkant van 'n wyfie in Johannesburg
Onderkant van 'n mannetjie naby Somerset-Wes
The common rain spider (Palystes superciliosus), formerly P. natalius,[1] is a species of huntsman spider native to Southern Africa.[2] It is the most common and widespread species in the genus Palystes. In South Africa its distribution ranges from KwaZulu-Natal province in the east, then westwards to the provinces of Mpumalanga, Limpopo, Gauteng and North West in the north, and Eastern Cape and Western Cape in the south. It has a body length of 15–36 mm and a leg span of up to 110mm.[3] The species was first described by Ludwig Carl Christian Koch in 1875.[2]
Its preferred habitat is scrubland and savannah woodland. Spiders in the genus Palystes are commonly called rain spiders, or lizard-eating spiders. Palystes spiders will often enter homes before rain, where they will prey on geckos (usually Afrogecko porphyreus in Gauteng, the Western Cape, or Lygodactylus capensis in the eastern parts of southern Africa). Males are regularly seen from August to December, probably looking for females.[3]
After mating in the early summer, the female constructs a round egg sac about 60–100 mm in size made of silk, with twigs and leaves woven into it. These egg sacs are commonly seen from about November to April. The female constructs the sac over 3–5 hours, then aggressively guards it until the spiderlings, who hatch inside the protective sac, chew their way out about three weeks later. Females will construct about three of these egg sacs over their two-year lives. Many gardeners are bitten by protective Palystes mothers during this period.[3]
The size of these spiders, combined with the yellow and black banding on the underside of the legs exposed when the spider is in threat pose, give them a fearsome appearance.[1][3] An experiment was done in 1959 where a Palystes superciliosus was allowed to bite an adult guinea pig on the nose. The guinea pig died within 7 minutes, leading to a belief that the spider's venom was dangerous. However, further research on anaesthetized guinea pigs showed that the original guinea pig had actually died of shock, rather than as a result of the spider's venom.[1] In humans the bite is no more dangerous than a bee sting.[3] It causes a burning sensation, and swelling which lasts for a few days. Recovery is spontaneous and complete.[1]
P. superciliosus (and other Palystes spiders) are also commonly seen paralysed, being dragged by a large wasp called a Pompilid wasp. Sometimes the wasp will not be present. Pompilid wasps only hunt spiders, which they paralyse by stinging them. They then drag the spider back to their nest where they lay an egg on the spider, then seal the spider and the egg in. When the egg hatches, the larva eats the paralysed spider, keeping the spider alive as long as possible by eating peripheral flesh first, and saving the vital organs till last. By doing this, the spider stays fresh long enough for the wasp larva to mature and pupate.[3] The Pompilid wasp species Tachypompilus ignitus is at least largely a specialist hunter of mature Palystes females.[4]
The common rain spider (Palystes superciliosus), formerly P. natalius, is a species of huntsman spider native to Southern Africa. It is the most common and widespread species in the genus Palystes. In South Africa its distribution ranges from KwaZulu-Natal province in the east, then westwards to the provinces of Mpumalanga, Limpopo, Gauteng and North West in the north, and Eastern Cape and Western Cape in the south. It has a body length of 15–36 mm and a leg span of up to 110mm. The species was first described by Ludwig Carl Christian Koch in 1875.
Its preferred habitat is scrubland and savannah woodland. Spiders in the genus Palystes are commonly called rain spiders, or lizard-eating spiders. Palystes spiders will often enter homes before rain, where they will prey on geckos (usually Afrogecko porphyreus in Gauteng, the Western Cape, or Lygodactylus capensis in the eastern parts of southern Africa). Males are regularly seen from August to December, probably looking for females.
Egg sac of P. castaneus, similar to P. superciliosus Common Rain Spider egg nest Tachypompilus ignitus dragging Palystes prey up a wallAfter mating in the early summer, the female constructs a round egg sac about 60–100 mm in size made of silk, with twigs and leaves woven into it. These egg sacs are commonly seen from about November to April. The female constructs the sac over 3–5 hours, then aggressively guards it until the spiderlings, who hatch inside the protective sac, chew their way out about three weeks later. Females will construct about three of these egg sacs over their two-year lives. Many gardeners are bitten by protective Palystes mothers during this period.
The size of these spiders, combined with the yellow and black banding on the underside of the legs exposed when the spider is in threat pose, give them a fearsome appearance. An experiment was done in 1959 where a Palystes superciliosus was allowed to bite an adult guinea pig on the nose. The guinea pig died within 7 minutes, leading to a belief that the spider's venom was dangerous. However, further research on anaesthetized guinea pigs showed that the original guinea pig had actually died of shock, rather than as a result of the spider's venom. In humans the bite is no more dangerous than a bee sting. It causes a burning sensation, and swelling which lasts for a few days. Recovery is spontaneous and complete.
P. superciliosus (and other Palystes spiders) are also commonly seen paralysed, being dragged by a large wasp called a Pompilid wasp. Sometimes the wasp will not be present. Pompilid wasps only hunt spiders, which they paralyse by stinging them. They then drag the spider back to their nest where they lay an egg on the spider, then seal the spider and the egg in. When the egg hatches, the larva eats the paralysed spider, keeping the spider alive as long as possible by eating peripheral flesh first, and saving the vital organs till last. By doing this, the spider stays fresh long enough for the wasp larva to mature and pupate. The Pompilid wasp species Tachypompilus ignitus is at least largely a specialist hunter of mature Palystes females.
Palystes superciliosus is een spinnensoort in de taxonomische indeling van de jachtkrabspinnen (Sparassidae).[1]
Het dier behoort tot het geslacht Palystes. De wetenschappelijke naam van de soort werd voor het eerst geldig gepubliceerd in 1875 door Ludwig Carl Christian Koch.
Bronnen, noten en/of referentiesPalystes superciliosus là một loài nhện trong họ Sparassidae.[1]
Loài này thuộc chi Palystes. Palystes superciliosus được Ludwig Carl Christian Koch miêu tả năm 1875.
Palystes superciliosus là một loài nhện trong họ Sparassidae.
Loài này thuộc chi Palystes. Palystes superciliosus được Ludwig Carl Christian Koch miêu tả năm 1875.