Trichonephila komaci

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Giant Golden Orb-Web Spider
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Infraorder: Araneomorphae
Family: Nephilidae
Genus: Trichonephila
Species:
T. komaci
Binomial name
Trichonephila komaci
(Kuntner & Coddington, 2009) [1]

Trichonephila komaci is a species of spider in the family Araneidae. [2] It is an African endemic commonly known as the giant golden orb-web spider. [3]

Contents

Distribution

Trichonephila komaci occurs in Tanzania (Zanzibar), Madagascar, and South Africa. [2] In South Africa, it is only recorded from a small area in KwaZulu-Natal. [3]

Habitat and ecology

The species has been sampled from the Indian Ocean Coastal Belt, Forest, and Savanna biomes. [3]

Trichonephila komaci spins a large golden orb web, with a three dimensional barrier web at least in early instars. The two Tembe specimens were collected by beating a large shrub, thus the web was probably 2–4 m above the ground. Two other Trichonephila species ( T. inaurata , T. fenestrata ) are sympatric at Tembe. [3]

Description

Conservation

Trichonephila komaci is listed as Least Concern by the South African National Biodiversity Institute due to its wide geographical range, though it is evidently rare with only 37 museum collections known in addition to field searches. [3] The species is protected in Tembe Elephant Park. [3]

Taxonomy

The species was originally described by Kuntner & Coddington in 2009 from KwaZulu-Natal. [3] The species is known from both sexes. [3]

References

  1. ↑ Kuntner, M.; Coddington, J.A. (2009). "Discovery of the largest orbweaver spider species: the evolution of gigantism in Nephila". PLOS ONE. 4 (10) e7516. Bibcode:2009PLoSO...4.7516K. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0007516 . PMC   2760137 . PMID   19844575.
  2. 1 2 "Trichonephila". World Spider Catalog. Retrieved 2025-09-27.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S.; Haddad, C.R.; Foord, S.H.; Lotz, L.N.; Webb, P. (2022). The Araneidae of South Africa. Version 2: part 3 (Ne-U). South African National Survey of Arachnida Photo Identification Guide. p. 62. doi:10.5281/zenodo.6326991. Creative Commons by small.svg  This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.
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