Nephilengys borbonica

Nephilengys borbonica
female N. borbonica from La Réunion
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Suborder: Araneomorphae
Family: Nephilidae
Genus: Nephilengys
Species: N. borbonica
Binomial name
Nephilengys borbonica
(Vinson, 1863)
Synonyms

Epeira borbonica
Nephila instigans
Nephila cruentata borbonica

Nephilengys borbonica is a nephilid spider from Réunion. It was once thought to also inhabit Madagascar and other nearby islands, however these were determined in 2011 to be a different species, Nephilengys livida, while specimens from Mauritius were placed in the new species Nephilengys dodo.[1]

Anatomy

Female

The color of the abdomen ranges from striking bright red to whitish-red, with larger specimens displaying a brighter red. Total length ranges from about 14 to 22mm.[1]

Male

Males' total length ranges from about 4 to 6 mm. They have a yellow-brown prosoma, and a gray abdomen with white pigment dots. [1]

Distribution

N. borbonica occurs in Réunion, and were observed in cloud forests at up to 1,500 m elevation .[2]

Name

The species name borbonica refers to the island Réunion near Madagascar, which was called "Bourbon" until 1848.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Kuntner & Agnarsson 2011: Biogeography and diversification of hermit spiders on Indian Ocean islands (Nephilidae: Nephilengys). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 59:477-488.
  2. Matjaž Kuntner (2007). "A monograph of Nephilengys, the pantropical 'hermit spiders' (Araneae, Nephilidae, Nephilinae)". Systematic Entomology 32 (1): 95–135. doi:10.1111/j.1365-3113.2006.00348.x.
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