Nephilengys papuana facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Nephilengys papuana |
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| N. papuana from northern Australia | |
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Nephilengys papuana is a species of araneid spider.
The species was previously included in Nephilengys malabarensis as the subspecies N. m. papuana, but is now recognized as a separate species.
Female body length is about 17 mm, male length less than 5 mm.
Male spiders apparently self-emasculate after copulation.
"At least in Nephilengys, this strategy enables remote copulation, a continuation of sperm transfer after males are detached from copula, which is an additional mechanism to secure eunuch paternity (Li et al. 2012). Although Nephilengys papuana eunuchs have not been subject to experimental testing, early research reported incidents of post-mating emasculation in this species (Robinson and Robinson 1980) and thus its behavior is likely to closely resemble that of its sister species."
Name
The species name is derived from Papua.
Distribution
The species occurs in New Guinea and tropical Australia (Queensland).
Images for kids
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Nephilengys papuana female (centre) and much smaller male (right) taken in Cairns
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side view of female, Cairns
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ventral view of female, Cairns
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enlarged view of male, Cairns
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N. papuana with egg sac and spiderlings
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