Nephila clavipes
| Nephila clavipes | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Female feeding (bottom) and male (top) | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Suborder: | Araneomorphae |
| Family: | Nephilidae |
| Genus: | Nephila |
| Species: | N. clavipes |
| Binomial name | |
| Nephila clavipes (Linnaeus, 1767) | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Aranea clavipes | |
Nephila clavipes (Lat. clavis = key or hook; pedis = of or pertaining to a foot {genitive case of pēs}) is a species of golden orb-web spider. It lives in the warmer regions of the Americas. The large size and bright colours of the species make it distinctive. The female is much larger than the male.
In the United States, it ranges throughout the coastal southeast and inland, from North Carolina to Texas. Its distribution in many regions seems localized, and it may be completely absent (or just hard to find) over wide areas. Conversely, in some arboreal or swampy nooks, adults and their webs can be found in large concentrations, especially near the coast. Golden orb-weavers are especially numerous in the time after summer and before fall in the Southeastern and Southern United States. This species is widespread — and often common — in large parts of Central America and warmer regions of South America.
The web of a mature female can reach one meter in width, the yellow threads appearing as a rich gold in sunlight. Males come into the female's web for copulating. After mating, the female spins an egg sac on a tree, laying hundreds of eggs in one sac. While its venom is dangerous to humans, it will only bite if pinched. The venom is usually relatively harmless and only leads to slight redness and localized pain.[1]
The silk of N. clavipes has recently been used to help in mammalian neuronal regeneration. In vitro experiments showed that a single thread of silk can lead a severed neuron through the body to the site from which it was severed. This single thread has a tensile strength of 4×109 N/m2, which exceeds that of steel by a factor of six. Best of all for these experiements, it is not recognized by the immune system, and so, is not rejected by the host body.[2]
Footnotes
References
- Allmeling, C.; Jokuszies, A.; Reimers, K.; Kall, S. & Vogt, P.M. (2006): Use of spider silk fibres as an innovative material in a biocompatible artificial nerve conduit. J. Cell. Mol. Med. 10(3): 770-777. PDF - doi:10.2755/jcmm010.003.18
- Weems, Jr., H.V., and G.B. Edwards, Jr. 2001 (2004 revision). golden silk spider. on the UF / IFAS Featured Creatures Web site
External links
- Mating pair
- Pictures of N. clavipes (free for noncommercial use)
- Gravity favours smaller males : Review of scientific article on why males are much smaller than females
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