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Poltys (spider)

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Poltys
Poltys mouhoti
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Infraorder: Araneomorphae
Family: Araneidae
Genus: Poltys
C. L. Koch, 1843[1]
Type species
P. illepidus
C. L. Koch, 1843
Species

43, see text

Poltys is a genus of orb-weaver spiders first described by C. L. Koch in 1843.[2] Many species are cryptic and are known to masquerade as leaves and twigs during the day,[3] and build an orb web at night to capture prey. The shape of the abdomen which often gives the impression of a rough and broken branch can vary among individuals within a species.[4] The web is eaten up before dawn and reconstructed after dusk.[5]

Species

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As of April 2019 it contains forty-three species:[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b Gloor, Daniel; Nentwig, Wolfgang; Blick, Theo; Kropf, Christian (2019). "Gen. Poltys C. L. Koch, 1843". World Spider Catalog Version 20.0. Natural History Museum Bern. doi:10.24436/2. Retrieved 2019-05-15.
  2. ^ Koch, C. L. (1843). Die Arachniden.
  3. ^ Kuntner, Matjaž; Gregorič, Matjaž; Cheng, Ren-Chung; Li, Daiqin (2016). "Leaf masquerade in an orb web spider" (PDF). Journal of Arachnology. 44 (3): 397. doi:10.1636/JoA-S-16-027.1. S2CID 52997204.
  4. ^ Smith, Helen M. (2003). "Shape variation in Australian Poltys species (Araneae: Araneidae)" (PDF). Bull. Br. Arachnol. Soc. 12 (8): 355–360.
  5. ^ Smith, Helen M (2009). "The costs of moving for a diurnally cryptic araneid spider". Journal of Arachnology. 37: 84–91. doi:10.1636/ST07-62.1. S2CID 85938546.