Brettus adonis

Last updated

Brettus adonis
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Infraorder: Araneomorphae
Family: Salticidae
Genus: Brettus
Species:
B. adonis
Binomial name
Brettus adonis
Simon, 1900

Brettus adonis, is a species of spider of the genus Brettus . It is endemic to Sri Lanka. [1]

Diet and behaviour

Brettus adonis preys upon other spiders, mainly web-building ones. Members of this species do not stick to any kind of spider silk, and will invade the webs of other spiders to feed on them. To capture a web-building spider, they typically pluck upon the silken strings at the edge of the web with their pedipalps, varying how they pluck until an effective rhythm is found. Then, they repeat this manner of plucking and lure the spider over(aggressive mimicry), capturing or stabbing their prey in a lunging attack. [2]

Apart from spiders, Brettus adonis will also prey on insects, although they prefer to eat web-building spiders. [3] They usually capture insects via close range lunging attacks. [2]

Related Research Articles

Jumping spider Family of spiders

Jumping spiders or the Salticidae are a family of spiders. As of 2019, it contained over 600 described genera and over 6000 described species, making it the largest family of spiders at 13% of all species. Jumping spiders have some of the best vision among arthropods and use it in courtship, hunting, and navigation. Although they normally move unobtrusively and fairly slowly, most species are capable of very agile jumps, notably when hunting, but sometimes in response to sudden threats or crossing long gaps. Both their book lungs and tracheal system are well-developed, and they use both systems. Jumping spiders are generally recognized by their eye pattern. All jumping spiders have four pairs of eyes, with the anterior median pair being particularly large.

<i>Portia</i> (spider) Genus of spiders

Portia is a genus of jumping spider that feeds on other spiders. They are remarkable for their intelligent hunting behaviour, which suggests that they are capable of learning and problem solving, traits normally attributed to much larger animals.

<i>Portia labiata</i> Species of spider

Portia labiata is a jumping spider found in Sri Lanka, India, southern China, Burma (Myanmar), Malaysia, Singapore, Java, Sumatra and the Philippines. In this medium-sized jumping spider, the front part is orange-brown and the back part is brownish. The conspicuous main eyes provide vision more acute than a cat's during the day and 10 times more acute than a dragonfly's, and this is essential in P. labiata′s navigation, hunting and mating.

<i>Ascyltus</i> Genus of spiders

Ascyltus are a genus of jumping spiders in the family Salticidae that was first described by Ferdinand Anton Franz Karsch in 1878. As of December 2020, the genus contained 10 species. Ascyltus spiders utilize their vision in courtship, hunting, and navigation. They are typically large to medium sized salticids and often move relatively slowly. However, they are capable of agile jumps when moving, hunting, or to avoid predators. They have well developed book lungs and tracheal systems, and they are capable of utilizing both systems. Ascyltus have four pairs of eyes, with the anterior median pair being the most prominent. One distinguishable characteristic of the genus is their antero-lateral carapace, which is iridescently colored.

<i>Brettus</i> Genus of spiders

Brettus is a genus of jumping spiders. Its six described species are found in southern Asia from India to China and Sulawesi, with a single species endemic to Madagascar.

<i>Cocalus</i> (spider) Genus of spiders

Cocalus is a genus of jumping spiders that was first described by Carl Ludwig Koch in 1846, and is named after Cocalus, a Sicilian king of Greek mythology.

<i>Cyrba</i> Genus of spiders

Cyrba is a genus of spiders in the family Salticidae. The genus was erected by Hippolyte Lucas in 1846.

<i>Phaeacius</i> Genus of spiders

Phaeacius is a spider genus of the family Salticidae, found in sub-tropical China and between India and the Malay Peninsula, including Sri Lanka, Sumatra and the Philippines. Although other spiders can jump, salticids including Phaeacius have significantly better vision than other spiders, and their main eyes are more acute in daylight than a cat's and 10 times more acute than a dragonfly's. The main eyes focus accurately on an object at distances from approximately 2 centimetres (0.79 in) to infinity, and in practice can see up to about 75 centimetres (30 in). They do not spin webs.

Spartaeinae Subfamily of spiders

The Spartaeinae are a subfamily of the spider family Salticidae. The subfamily was established by Fred R. Wanless in 1984 to include the groups Boetheae, Cocaleae, Lineae, Codeteae and Cyrbeae, which in turn were defined by Eugène Simon.

<i>Porrhothele antipodiana</i> Black tunnelweb spider from New Zealand

Porrhothele antipodiana, the black tunnelweb spider, is a spider found throughout much of New Zealand and the Chatham Islands in bush and gardens and is one of New Zealand's most researched spiders. It is related to tarantulas, and is a harmless relative of the venomous Australian funnel-web spider.

<i>Maevia inclemens</i> Species of spider

Maevia inclemens is a relatively common and colorful jumping spider of North America. In the males there are two forms, a very rare phenomenon in zoology. These use different courting displays, and differ in appearance: the "tufted" morph has a black body and pedipalps ("palps"), three black tufts across its "head", and pale legs; and the "gray" morph has black and white stripes all over its body and legs, orange palps, and no tufts. However, each form accounts for 50% of the adult males, and they are equally successful in mating. A female of Maevia inclemens is 6.5 to 8.0 millimetres long, while males are 4.75 to 6.50 millimetres long.

<i>Pholcus phalangioides</i> Species of spider

Pholcus phalangioides, commonly known as daddy long-legs spider or long-bodied cellar spider, is a spider of the family Pholcidae. It is also known as the skull spider, since its cephalothorax resembles a human skull. This is the only spider species described by the Swiss entomologist Johann Kaspar Füssli, who first recorded it in 1775. Its common name of "daddy long-legs" should not be confused with a different arachnid group with the same common name, the harvestman (Opiliones).

<i>Portia fimbriata</i> Species of spider

Portia fimbriata, sometimes called the fringed jumping spider, is a jumping spider found in Australia and Southeast Asia. Adult females have bodies 6.8 to 10.5 millimetres long, while those of adult males are 5.2 to 6.5 millimetres long. Both sexes have a generally dark brown carapace, reddish brown chelicerae ("fangs"), a brown underside, dark brown palps with white hairs, and dark brown abdomens with white spots on the upper side. Both sexes have fine, faint markings and soft fringes of hair, and the legs are spindly and fringed. However, specimens from New Guinea and Indonesia have orange-brown carapaces and yellowish abdomens. In all species of the genus Portia, the abdomen distends when the spider is well fed or producing eggs.

<i>Portia schultzi</i> Species of spider

Portia schultzi is a species of jumping spider which ranges from South Africa in the south to Kenya in the north, and also is found in West Africa and Madagascar. In this species, which is slightly smaller than some other species of the genus Portia, the bodies of females are 5 to 7 mm long, while those of males are 4 to 6 mm long. The carapaces of both sexes are orange-brown with dark brown mottling, and covered with dark brown and whitish hairs lying over the surface. Males have white tufts on their thoraces and a broad white band above the bases of the legs, and these features are less conspicuous in females. Both sexes have tufts of orange to dark orange above the eyes, which are fringed with pale orange hairs. Males' abdomens are yellow-orange to orange-brown with blackish mottling, and on the upper sides are black and light orange hairs, and nine white tufts. Those of females are pale yellow and have black markings with scattered white and orange-brown hairs on the upper side. P. schultzi has relatively longer legs than other Portia, and a "lolloping" gait.

Portia africana is a jumping spider found in Angola, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Gabon, Ghana, the Ivory Coast, Sierra Leone, Zaire and Zambia. Its conspicuous main eyes provide vision more acute than a cat's during the day and 10 times more acute than a dragonfly's, and this is essential in P. africana′s navigation, hunting and mating.

<i>Trite auricoma</i> Species of spider

Trite auricoma, commonly known as the golden-brown jumping spider, is a species of jumping spider endemic to New Zealand.

Gelotia lanka is a species of jumping spider of the genus Gelotia. It is endemic to Sri Lanka.

Brettus cingulatus is a species of jumping spider of the genus Brettus. It is found in Myanmar and India.

<i>Lyssomanes viridis</i> Species of spider

Lyssomanes viridis, commonly known as the magnolia green jumper, is a species of jumping spider of the genus Lyssomanes, for which it is the type species. The species is native to the United States, being found in much of the Southeastern United States and Texas. It has also been reported from parts of Mexico, with sightings as far south as Guatemala and as far north as Delaware.

<i>Argyrodes antipodianus</i> Species of spider

Argyrodes antipodianus, also known as the dew drop spider, is a species of kleptoparasitic spider from the cobweb spider family found in Australia, New Zealand and New Caledonia.

References

  1. "Brettus adonis Simon, 1900". World Spider Catalog. Retrieved 23 May 2016.
  2. 1 2 Jackson, Robert R.; Hallas, Susan E. A. (October 1986). "Predatory versatility and intraspecific interactions of spartaeine jumping spiders (Araneae: Salticidae): Brettus adonis, B. cingulatus, Cyrba algerina, and Phaeacius sp. indet". New Zealand Journal of Zoology. 13 (4): 491–520. doi: 10.1080/03014223.1986.10422979 . ISSN   0301-4223.
  3. Jackson, Robert R. (2000-01-01). "Prey preferences and visual discrimination ability of Brettus, Cocalus and Cyrba, araneophagic jumping spiders (Araneae: Salticidae) from Australia, Kenya and Sri Lanka". New Zealand Journal of Zoology. 27 (1): 29–39. doi: 10.1080/03014223.2000.9518206 . ISSN   0301-4223.