Eight Legged Freaks - Indian Spiders

Post : Eight Legged Freaks

Location : Nagercoil, TamilNadu

Device : Canon Powershot sx30

Hi friends. This time I'm back not with 2 leg species but 8 legged ones. I hope this post will be informative with the creatures that we don't spent more time with.

Selenocosmia crassipes(Whistling / Barking spider)

I found this while digging behind our house for construction purpose. Not aware of its characteristics i rushed, took my camera, played with it for sometime then took some snaps and videos. It runs very fast and always tried to hide under something.

This is what I then found.

Whistling / Barking spider (Selenocosmia crassipes) makes a sound rather like a thumb nail rubbing across a comb. You can hear it from quite a distance away (over a meter away).

Females live up to 30 years, males up to 8 years.

They are nocturnal burrowers, typically very aggressive.

Reports about their venom are often conflicting. Some claim that they are dangerous to humans, esp. small children and sick elderly people, and can make an adult feel very unwell (vomiting).

Spinybacked Orbweaver

I found this one in our custard apple tree. It was so attractive and colorful so that no one can judge it as a spider. I took it in my bare hands and brought home. It always tried to run away from me.

Spiny orb-weavers is a common name for Gasteracantha, a genus of spiders. They are also commonly called Spiny-backed orb-weavers, due to the prominent spines on their abdomen. These spiders can reach sizes of up to 30mm in diameter (measured from spike to spike). Although their shell is shaped like a crab shell with spikes, it is not to be confused with a crab spider. They have 6 spines.

Orb-weaver's bites are generally harmless to humans.

Tetragnatha extensa

This was shown to me by my neighbor children in our garden.

The Tetragnatha genus of the Longjawed Orb Weavers are the most widespread of all the family Tetragnathidae.

The top picture shows the tetragnatha extensa, with very long legs and a dull brown and cream color body.

Those physical characteristics are common to all species. While they are noted for building orb shaped webs nears wetlands and other water areas, they can often be found stretched out along a leaf near their web.

Argiope keyserlingi(St Andrew's Cross spider)

I found this in my Sister's house they were about to burn and kill it. So beautiful creation. It had its web between two parabolic satellite antennas. It has grown so big that they were afraid to go near it. Its web was stunning with WWW design.

This spider is commonly known as the St Andrew's Cross spider, due to the construction of bands of silk forming the arms of an X-shaped cross, similar to the one upon which St. Andrew is traditionally said to have been crucified. Termed web decorations or stabilimenta, these bands are thought to increase prey capture in this species, however, in other species they have been found to protect the spider against predators.

Similar spider of Argiope family is below in its top view and bottom view :) I have found this in our Banana plant. It was there for more than 3 months.

Thiodina sylvana

Female

It didn't try to jump from my hand.

The below ones were seen in our garden.

Male

It's an above average size for jumping spiders. The thin, striped abdomen and red head make the male fairly easy to identify. Females have lighther brown bodies with the abdominal stripes.

I'm Still searching for more beautiful ones. Will update more snaps in coming days. Spiders are beautiful.