Tree trunk spider

Tree trunk spider

Taxobox
name = Hersiliidae


image_caption = Hersiliid from India
image_width = 250px
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Arthropoda
classis = Arachnida
ordo = Araneae
subordo = Araneomorphae
superfamilia = Eresoidea
familia = Hersiliidae
familia_authority = Thorell, 1870
diversity_link = List of Hersiliidae species
diversity = 11 genera, 145 species
range_

range_map_width = 250px
subdivision_ranks = Genera
subdivision = see text

The tree trunk spiders are members of the tropical and semi-tropical Family "Hersiliidae". There are about 150 species in this family. These spiders have two very prominent spinnerets that are almost as long as their entire abdomens. So they are also sometimes known as "two-tailed spiders." They range in size from about 10 mm (0.4 inch) to 18 mm (0.7 inch)long. Being very well camouflaged for life on the varicolored trunks of trees, they have an interesting way of capturing prey. Rather than making a web that captures prey directly, they lay a light coating of threads over an area of tree bark and wait hidden in plain sight for an insect to stray onto that patch. Once that occurs, they direct their spinnerets toward their prey and circle it all the while casting silk on it. When the hapless insect has been thoroughly immobilized they can bite it through its new shroud.

Genera

* "Hersilia" Audouin, 1826 (Africa, Australasia)
* "Hersiliola" Thorell, 1870 (Mediterranean to Central Asia, Nigeria)
* "Iviraiva" Rheims & Brescovit, 2004 (South America)
* "Murricia" Simon, 1882 (South Asia)
* "Neotama" Baehr & Baehr, 1993 (America, South Africa, India)
* "Promurricia" Baehr & Baehr, 1993 (Sri Lanka)
* "Tama" Simon, 1882 (Spain, Portugal, Algeria)
* "Tamopsis" Baehr & Baehr, 1987 (Australia, Borneo)
* "Tyrotama" Foord & Dippenaar-Schoeman, 2005 (Africa)
* "Yabisi" Rheims & Brescovit, 2004 (USA, Caribic)
* "Ypypuera" Rheims & Brescovit, 2004 (South America)

ee also

* List of Hersiliidae species
* Spider families

External links

For a picture, see [http://bugguide.net/node/view/1954/bgpage?from=15] or [http://www.americanarachnology.org/HiResGallery/other_Hersilia_sp.html]


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