Palystes

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Palystes
Female Palystes castaneus near Somerset West, South Africa
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Infraorder: Araneomorphae
Family: Sparassidae
Genus: Palystes
L. Koch, 1875
Type species
Palystes castaneus
Latreille, 1819
Species

See text

Diversity[1]
20 species

Palystes is a genus of huntsman spiders, commonly called rain spiders or lizard-eating spiders,[2] occurring in Africa, India, Australia, and the Pacific.[1] The most common and widespread species is P. superciliosus, found in South Africa, home to 12 species in the genus.[1][2] The name Palystes is derived from either the Latin palaestes or the Greek palaistes, meaning "wrestler".[2] The genus was first described by Ludwig Carl Christian Koch in 1875.[1]

Build

Palystes species are large spiders, with a body length of 15–36 mm, and a leg span up to 110 mm. Their top side is covered in tan to dark tan velvety

setae (hairs). The underside of their legs is banded in colour, and their legs and abdomens may be interspersed with slightly longer setae. They have a large moustachial stripe below their front eyes, and extending down their fangs.[2]

Habits

While Palystes species mostly hunt insects on plants, they commonly enter houses before rain, or during the summer, where they prey on

Lygodactylus capensis in the eastern parts of southern Africa). Males are regularly seen from August to December, probably looking for females.[2]

Egg sac of P. castaneus

The large, round egg sacs of P. castaneus and P. superciliosus are commonly seen from about November to April. After mating in the early summer, the female makes a 60- to 100-mm sac out of silk, with twigs and leaves woven into it. She constructs the sac over 3–5 hours, then aggressively guards it until the spiderlings, which hatch inside the protective sac, chew their way out about three weeks later. Females construct about three of these egg sacs over their two-year lives. Many gardeners are bitten by protective Palystes mothers during this period.[2]

Venom

The size of Palystes spiders, combined with the banding on the underside of the legs exposed when the spider is in threat pose, give them a fearsome appearance.[2][3] An experiment was done in 1959 where a P. superciliosus was allowed to bite an adult guinea pig on the nose. The guinea pig died within 7 minutes, leading to a belief that the spider's venom was dangerous. However, further research on anaesthetized guinea pigs showed that the original guinea pig had actually died of shock, rather than as a result of the spider's venom.[3] In humans a Palystes bite is no more dangerous than a bee sting.[2] It causes a burning sensation, and swelling which lasts for a few days. Recovery is spontaneous and complete.[3]

Tachypompilus ignitus dragging Palystes prey up a wall

Wasps

Palystes spiders are also commonly seen

pupate.[2] The pompilid wasp species Tachypompilus ignitus is at least largely a specialist hunter of mature Palystes females.[4]

Species

As of November 2022[update] according to The World Spider Catalog, Version 23.5:[1] it contains twenty species

Gallery

  • Female P. superciliosus
    Female P. superciliosus
  • Underside of female P. superciliosus, showing banding
    Underside of female P. superciliosus, showing banding
  • Underside of male P. superciliosus
    Underside of male P. superciliosus
  • Female P. superciliosus
    Female P. superciliosus
  • Female P. castaneus
    Female P. castaneus
  • Female P. castaneus
    Female P. castaneus
  • Female P. castaneus
    Female P. castaneus

References

  1. ^
    doi:10.5531/db.iz.0001
    . Retrieved 19 April 2012.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Larsen, Norman. "Palystes (rain spiders, lizard-eating spiders)". Biodiversity Explorer. Cape Town, South Africa: Iziko museums. Retrieved 19 April 2012.
  3. ^
    OCLC 80013902. Retrieved 19 April 2012.[permanent dead link
    ]
  4. OCLC 56338396
    .
  5. ^ Jäger, P. and D. Kunz. (2010). Palystes kreutzmanni sp. n. – a new huntsman spider species from fynbos vegetation in Western Cape Province, South Africa (Araneae, Sparassidae, Palystinae). ZooKeys 67 1-9.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Palystes.
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