Argiope savignyi
Argiope savignyi is a species of orb-weaving spider that occurs from Mexico to Bolivia[1]. It was observed to capture and feed on the proboscis bat Rhynchonycteris naso in Costa Rica, totally encasing the bat in silk during the course of a day.[2]
A. savignyi sometimes spins a silk disc, sometimes a cruciate pattern, and sometimes combines both types[3].
The species is named after French zoologist Marie Jules César Savigny, in whose volumes the name Argiope was first published in 1825.
- ^ Platnick 2008
- ^ Timm & Losilla 2007
- ^ Herberstein et al. 2000
References
- Herberstein, M.E.; Craig, C.L.; Coddington, J.A. & Elgar, M.A. (2000): The functional significance of silk decorations of orb-web spiders: a critical review of the empirical evidence. Biological Reviews 75: 649-669. Abstract
- Timm, Robert M. & Losilla, Mauricio (2007): Orb-weaving Spider, Argiope savignyi (Araneidae), Predation on the Proboscis Bat Rhynchonycteris naso (Emballonuridae). Caribbean Journal of Science 43(2): 282-284. PDF
- Platnick, Norman I. (2008): The world spider catalog, version 8.5. American Museum of Natural History.
Further reading
- Levi, Herbert W. (1968): The spider genera Gea and Argiope in America (Araneae: Araneidae). Bull. Mus. comp. Zool. Harv. 136: 319-352.
- Robinson, Michael H. & Robinson, Barbara (1977): Associations Between Flies and Spiders: Bibiocommensalism and Dipsoparasitism? Psyche 84: 150-157. PDF
- Nentwig, Wolfgang (1985): Prey analysis of four species of tropical orb-weaving spiders (Araneae: Araneidae) and a comparison with araneids of the temperate zone. Oecologia 66(4): 580-594. doi:10.1007/BF00379353
- Rovner, Jerome S. (1989): Submersion survival in aerial web-weaving spiders from a tropical wet forest. Journal of Arachnology 17: 242-245. PDF