Weekly Wildlife: Wrap-Around Spider (Dolophones Conifera)

Just the other day I came across an article about unique animals and plants that exist in the world. While all were interesting, this creature shocked me and, well, truthfully kind of creeped me out. I bet they're the undefeated champions of hide and go seek though.

Where in the world?

Distribution: Western Australia

Habitat: Trees

What an interesting character

Distinguishing Traits

- Length:

• Female: 0.35 in (9 mm)

• Male: 0.19-0.23 in (5-6 mm)

- Body:

• Concave underbelly allows them to flatten and wrap around tree branches

• Flat abdomen with discs make them look like a shield

- Coloring: Their brown body helps them blend in with tree bark

We are family

- Class: Archnida

- Order: Araneae

- Family: Araneidae

- Genus: Dolophones

- Species: Dolophones conifera

Facts of life

- Egg sac is yellow and can hold up

to a hundred babies

- After the spiderlings hatch -yes young spiders are called spiderlings - they remain together as a family before eventually leaving

- They're not poisonous

- The discs on their body look like spots giving them the name leopard spider as well

Conservation Connection

- Status is unknown

- Threats:

• Birds

• Wasps

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Dolophones conifera. (2019, September 15). Retrieved April 24, 2020, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dolophones_conifera

Ghosh, Mumpi (2019, August 8). Wrap-Around. Retrieved April 24, 2020, from https://spideridentifications.com/wrap-around.html

Unbelievable Facts. (2016, April 8). Photograph of Wrap-around spider resting on a twig goes viral. Retrieved April 24, 2020, from https://unbelievable-facts.com/2016/04/wrap-around-spider.html

Wrap-Around Spider Facts, Identifications &Pictures. (2020, February 13). Retrieved April 24, 2020, from https://spideridentifications.com/wrap-around.html