Anoteropsis hilaris facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Anoteropsis hilaris |
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Anoteropsis
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hilaris
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The Anoteropsis hilaris, also known as the garden wolf spider, is a type of wolf spider. It is found only in New Zealand. This means it is endemic to that country.
Contents
About the Garden Wolf Spider
How the Spider Got Its Name
The garden wolf spider, Anoteropsis hilaris, has had many names over the years! In 1877, a scientist named Ludwig Carl Christian Koch first described it. He gave it three different names in the same paper. Other scientists also gave it different names later on.
In 2002, a scientist named Cor Vink studied these spiders. He realized that all these different names were actually for the same spider. So, he officially placed it in the Anoteropsis group. Now, Anoteropsis hilaris is its official scientific name. All the older names are now considered synonyms, meaning they refer to the same species.
What Does It Look Like?
The Anoteropsis hilaris is a small spider. Males are usually between 4.9 and 11 millimeters long. Females are a bit larger, from 4.9 to 11.8 millimeters long.
Its body has a pale yellow stripe on its back. This stripe runs from its head down about two-thirds of its body. The rest of its body, including its abdomen and cephalothorax (head and chest part), is usually brown. It often has darker brown areas near the yellow stripe. Its legs are typically yellow-brown, but some parts might be green.
When a female lays her eggs, they are inside an eggsac. This eggsac has a light pink color when it is first made. Scientists can tell this spider apart from other Anoteropsis species by looking closely at its reproductive parts.
Where Does It Live?
The garden wolf spider lives all over New Zealand. You can find it on both of the main islands. It also lives on some smaller islands. These include Stewart Island, Three Kings Islands, Snares Island, and Auckland Islands.
These spiders like to live in grassy areas and scrubland. They are found everywhere except in very high mountain areas. A. hilaris is one of the most common spiders that hunts other small creatures in New Zealand's farmlands.
Its Life Cycle
Adult garden wolf spiders are most common during the summer months. You will see them most often from December to January. However, you can find them at other times of the year too.
Female spiders carry their eggs in an eggsac. They have been seen carrying eggsacs from September to March. After the eggs hatch, the female spider carries her tiny spiderlings (baby spiders) on her back. You can usually see females carrying spiderlings from December to March.
See also
In Spanish: Anoteropsis hilaris para niños
