Caerostris sexcuspidata

Caerostris sexcuspidata, also known as the common bark spider, occurs in Southern Africa, and on islands off the east coast of Africa, such as Madagascar, the Comores and Aldabra Island.[1] It is a mainly nocturnal orb-web spider, the female constructing a large orb web stretching between trees or shrubs. During daylight hours she dismantles her web and retires to a nearby branch, tucking her legs, which are covered with fine hair, against her body, to blend with the surroundings to resemble part of a branch, complete with growth bulges. Though mainly nocturnal, these spiders may be found on their webs in shady, forested areas during the day. The dorsal surface is cryptically coloured with horny projections which aid in camouflage; legs are drably coloured seen from above and clearly zebra-striped when viewed from beneath. [2] The common bark spider is the most widespread of the bark spiders found in Southern Africa and shows considerable variation in abdomen shape.[3] The abdomen protrudes over the carapace, while the eight small eyes are located on a tubercle at the front of the carapace.[4]

Common bark spider
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Infraorder: Araneomorphae
Family: Araneidae
Genus: Caerostris
Species:
C. sexcuspidata
Binomial name
Caerostris sexcuspidata
(Fabricius, 1793)
Synonyms
  • Caerostris femoralis Thorell, 1899
  • Caerostris hnatiukae Roberts, 1983
  • Caerostris insularis Strand, 1913
  • Caerostris keyserlingi Thorell, 1868
  • Caerostris kibonotensis Tullgren, 1910
  • Caerostris mimica Strand, 1906
  • Caerostris mitralis humilis Thorell, 1868
  • Caerostris mitralis turrigera Thorell, 1868
  • Caerostris schubotzi Strand, 1913
  • Caerostris tuberculosa (Vinson, 1863)
  • Caerostris voeltzkowi Strand, 1916
  • Caerostris wahlbergi Thorell, 1868

References
  1. "World Spider Catalogue, Taxon Details: Caerostris sexcuspidata (Fabricius, 1793)". Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  2. https://www.flickr.com/photos/berniedup/7011105651/
  3. Dippenaar-Schoeman, Ansie (2014). Field Guide to the Spiders of South Africa. Lapa Publishers.
  4. http://www.ispotnature.org/node/479996
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