Argiope protensa
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Infraorder: Araneomorphae
Family: Araneidae
Genus: Argiope
Species:
A. protensa
Binomial name
Argiope protensa

Argiope protensa, commonly known as the tailed grass spider[2] or teardrop spider,[3] is a species of spider in the orb weaver family, Araneidae. This species is fairly common and widespread in Australasia,[4] but like many spider species, little is known of its ecology, biology, or life history.[5]

Description

Argiope protensa is a slender, medium-sized spider, reaching a body length of 13 – 25 mm.[3][6][7] Its abdomen is distinctively elongate, tapering to a long “tail” extending beyond the ventrally-positioned spinnerets — though immature and/or male specimens may not clearly show this characteristic.[7] The dorsal abdomen has on each side a finely pubescent strip of short, silvery hairs, which become sparse closer to the apex. Four to six pairs of weakly indented spots border the variably-coloured, hairless medial line; similar hairless dark strips run along the sides of the abdomen. Ventrally, the abdomen is dark and sparsely-haired; two pale stripes run longitudinally down its entire length to the apex. The cephalothorax makes up about a quarter of the body length, and is covered in silvery-grey hairs on its dorsal surface. Colouration of the legs can vary between individuals; some are almost uniformly grey-brown, while others have strongly contrasting bands of dark and light colour along their lengths. In descending order, the relative leg lengths are 1, 2, 4, 3.[6] In Australia, Argiope protensa can be distinguished from A. probata (the only other Argiope species with a similarly-shaped abdomen) by examining morphological characteristics of the epigyne.[7]

The tailed grass spider's web is variable, usually quite small (especially compared to those of other Argiope species), and may be constructed close to the ground[8] and oriented on a plane anywhere between vertical and horizontal.[3] A 2022 analysis of 262 photographs showing 124 different tailed grass spider webs across Australia and New Zealand showed 38.7% contained a structure known as a stabilimentum,[8] the purpose of which is yet to be determined.[9]

Distribution

Argiope protensa is recorded from Australia, New Zealand, New Caledonia and New Guinea.[4] It is considered native to New Zealand, believed to have arrived from Australia by natural means;[10] scrutiny of early collection records and/or comparative genetic analysis would be required to confirm this and estimate a time of first arrival.[11] A 2014 study analysed changes in spider assemblage composition of Australian grasslands across a 900 km environmental gradient, and found a strong positive relationship between A. protensa and taller vegetation with high intra-tussock density.[12]

Life cycle

Egg mass of A. protensa

The length of the tailed grass spider’s life cycle is unknown but, like similar species, probably lasts no more than two years.[13] Females reach maturity in midsummer, and produce cup-shaped egg masses in the late summer.[3] It is unknown when the young hatch from their eggs. Ballooning is probably an important mechanism by which the young disperse to new habitats,[14] and is likely how this species reached New Zealand from Australia. [15]

Interactions

As an orb-weaving spider, Argiope protensa is a generalist predator and will consume any invertebrates it can capture and subdue, though some preferential selection of prey may occur, as seen in other araneid spiders.[16][17][18] Prey is usually restrained by wrapping with broad swathes of dense silk, which is a common behaviour in other species in this genus.[9]

Further information

Argiope protensa was first described from Australia by L. Koch in 1872;[19] in 1885 it was also described as Epeira attenuata by Urquhart from specimens collected in New Zealand.[6] Several other synonyms exist from different collection locations.[4] Taxonomic confusion continued until 1971, when Chrysanthus[20] confirmed that specimens collected from New Guinea matched Koch’s original description; in 1983 Levi agreed that similarities in genital morphology suggested many of the previously-described Australasian species were synonyms.[7] In 2017, phylogenetic analysis by Wheeler et al. confirmed the placement of Argiope within the family Araneidae.[21]

References

  1. ↑ "Taxon details Argiope protensa L. Koch, 1872", World Spider Catalog, Natural History Museum Bern, retrieved 2019-06-28
  2. ↑ Handbook of New Zealand insect names : common and scientific names for insects and allied organisms. Auckland [N.Z.]: Entomological Society of New Zealand. 1999. ISBN 978-0-95-976635-6.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Main, Barbara York (1980). Spiders of Australia : a guide to their identification with brief notes on the natural history of common forms. [Kent Town, S. Aust.]: Axiom Books. ISBN 9780959416435.
  4. 1 2 3 "Argiope protensa L. Koch, 1872 COL". www.catalogueoflife.org. Retrieved 13 April 2022.
  5. ↑ Vink, Cor J. (3 July 2017). "A history of araneology in New Zealand". Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand. 47 (3): 262–273. doi:10.1080/03036758.2017.1334676. ISSN 0303-6758. S2CID 134908799.
  6. 1 2 3 Urquhart, A. T. (1885). "On the spiders of New Zealand". Transactions of the New Zealand Institute. 17: 31–53.
  7. 1 2 3 4 Levi, H. W. (1983). "The orb-weaver genera Argiope, Gea, and Neogea from the western Pacific region (Araneae: Araneidae, Argiopinae)". Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology. 150: 247–338.
  8. 1 2 Kerr, Alexander M. (December 2021). "Pattern and frequency of web decorating by Argiope protensa L. Koch, 1872 (Araneae: Araneidae)". The Journal of Arachnology. 49 (3): 389–392. doi:10.1636/JoA-S-20-059. ISSN 0161-8202. S2CID 245016784.
  9. 1 2 Walter, André (1 June 2018). "Tracing the evolutionary origin of a visual signal: the coincidence of wrap attack and web decorating behaviours in orb web spiders (Araneidae)". Evolutionary Ecology. 32 (2): 159–170. doi:10.1007/s10682-018-9930-y. ISSN 1573-8477. S2CID 254464459.
  10. ↑ Framenau, Volker W.; de S. Castanheira, Pedro; Vink, Cor J. (13 January 2022). "Taxonomy and systematics of the new Australo-Pacific orb-weaving spider genus Socca (Araneae: Araneidae)". New Zealand Journal of Zoology. 49 (4): 263–334. doi:10.1080/03014223.2021.2014899. ISSN 0301-4223. S2CID 245966787.
  11. ↑ Griffiths, James W.; Paterson, Adrian M.; Vink, Cor J. (December 2005). "MOLECULAR INSIGHTS INTO THE BIOGEOGRAPHY AND SPECIES STATUS OF NEW ZEALAND'S ENDEMIC LATRODECTUS SPIDER SPECIES; L. KATIPO AND L. ATRITUS (ARANEAE, THERIDIIDAE)". The Journal of Arachnology. 33 (3): 776–784. doi:10.1636/S04-11.1. hdl:10182/502. ISSN 0161-8202. S2CID 11655617.
  12. ↑ Gibb, H.; Muscat, D.; Binns, M. R.; Silvey, C. J.; Peters, R. A.; Warton, D. I.; Andrew, N. R. (2015). "Responses of foliage-living spider assemblage composition and traits to a climatic gradient in T hemeda grasslands: Spider Traits and Climatic Gradients". Austral Ecology. 40 (3): 225–237. doi:10.1111/aec.12195.
  13. ↑ Moore, Clovis W. (July 1977). "The Life Cycle, Habitat and Variation in Selected Web Parameters in the Spider, Nephila clavipes Koch (Araneidae)". The American Midland Naturalist. 98 (1): 95–108. doi:10.2307/2424717. JSTOR 2424717.
  14. ↑ Blandenier, Gilles (March 2009). "Ballooning of spiders (Araneae) in Switzerland: General Results from an Eleven-Year Survey". Arachnology. 14 (7): 308–316. doi:10.13156/arac.2009.14.7.308. S2CID 84318695.
  15. ↑ "Spiders — destination New Zealand". collections.tepapa.govt.nz.
  16. ↑ Ludy, C. (March 2007). "Prey selection of orb-web spiders (Araneidae) on field margins". Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment. 119 (3–4): 368–372. doi:10.1016/j.agee.2006.08.005.
  17. ↑ Meraz, L.C.; Hénaut, Y.; Legal, L. (January 2012). "Prey selection in a nocturnal web-building spider, Eriophora edax (Araneae Araneidae)". Ethology Ecology & Evolution. 24 (1): 1–13. doi:10.1080/03949370.2011.582887. S2CID 83627574.
  18. ↑ Uetz, George W.; Hartsock, Scott P. (1987). "Prey Selection in an Orb-Weaving Spider: Micrathena Gracilis (Araneae: Araneidae)". Psyche. 94 (1–2): 103–116. doi:10.1155/1987/16298. ISSN 0033-2615.
  19. ↑ Koch, Ludwig; Keyserling, Eduard von; Keyserling, Eugen; Koch, Carl (1871). "Die Arachniden Australiens nach der Natur beschrieben und abgebildet". Verlag von Bauer & Raspe. doi:10.5962/bhl.title.121660. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  20. ↑ Chrysanthus, P. (1971). "Further notes on the spiders of New Guinea I." Zoologische Verhandelingen. 113: 1–52.
  21. ↑ Wheeler, Ward C.; Coddington, Jonathan A.; Crowley, Louise M.; Dimitrov, Dimitar; Goloboff, Pablo A.; Griswold, Charles E.; Hormiga, Gustavo; Prendini, Lorenzo; Ramírez, Martín J.; Sierwald, Petra; Almeida‐Silva, Lina; Alvarez‐Padilla, Fernando; Arnedo, Miquel A.; Benavides Silva, Ligia R.; Benjamin, Suresh P.; Bond, Jason E.; Grismado, Cristian J.; Hasan, Emile; Hedin, Marshal; Izquierdo, Matías A.; Labarque, Facundo M.; Ledford, Joel; Lopardo, Lara; Maddison, Wayne P.; Miller, Jeremy A.; Piacentini, Luis N.; Platnick, Norman I.; Polotow, Daniele; Silva‐Dávila, Diana; Scharff, Nikolaj; Szűts, Tamás; Ubick, Darrell; Vink, Cor J.; Wood, Hannah M.; Zhang, Junxia (December 2017). "The spider tree of life: phylogeny of Araneae based on target‐gene analyses from an extensive taxon sampling". Cladistics. 33 (6): 574–616. doi:10.1111/cla.12182. PMID 34724759. S2CID 35535038.
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