''Argiope anasuja'', is a

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

of harmless orb-weaver spider (family Araneidae) found from the

Seychelles Seychelles (, ; ), officially the Republic of Seychelles (french: link=no, République des Seychelles; Creole: ''La Repiblik Sesel''), is an archipelagic state consisting of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean. Its capital and largest city, V ...

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...

and

Sri Lanka Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්‍රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...

, and in the

Maldives Maldives (, ; dv, ދިވެހިރާއްޖެ, translit=Dhivehi Raajje, ), officially the Republic of Maldives ( dv, ދިވެހިރާއްޖޭގެ ޖުމްހޫރިއްޔާ, translit=Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa, label=none, ), is an archipelag ...

Description

Female is about 8-12 mm long and male is 3.5-4.5 mm. After Cephalothorax greyish brown with hairs. Sternum heart shaped with hairy pubescent white patch. Palps bear spines. Legs greyish brown and hairy. Femora dorsally yellowish. Abdomen pentagonal and hairy. Dorsum yellowish with brown transverse bands. Three sigilla pairs distinct. Ventrum dark brownish with two longitudinal white patches.

Ecology

Like other species of the same

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

, it is known as a "signature spider"; it builds a web with a zig-zag

stabilimentum A stabilimentum (plural: stabilimenta), also known as a web decoration, is a conspicuous silk structure included in the webs of some species of orb-web spider. Its function is a subject of debate. Origin It is likely that the use of stabiliment ...

somewhat resembling letters. The mature female of ''A. anasuja'' always rests at the centre of the orb with her head facing downwards. The orb has an opening at the centre and when disturbed she goes through the hole and exits on the other side of the plane of the web. File:Signature_Spider.jpg, Female File:Argiope anasuja.jpg, Female File:Signature spider with egg sac @ Kanjirappally.jpg, With egg sac File:Argiope anasuja 2.jpg They are commonly found on flora of Mimosaceae family. They prefer to make the web in a plane of shadow in the daylight.

Reproduction

Male is smaller than female. Male spins a web around the female's web, which is known as a companion web. After the mating, as in other common spiders, female kill the male. Female lay eggs on the companion web and wrap them up into a sac. Spiderlings eat each other in the sac until the strongest spiderling break the sac wall. The sac can hold from 400 to 1,400 eggs.

References

Fauna of Pakistan ansuja Spiders of Asia Spiders described in 1887 {{Araneidae-stub