Phil Bendle Collection:Orbweb spider (Green) Colaranea viriditas

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Arachnida ( Spiders, scorpions, ticks )
Order: Araneae (Spiders)
Family: Araneidae
Genus: Colaranea
Species: Colaranea viriditas (viridatis in Latin means green)
Common name: Green Orbweb spider

Colaranea viriditas the native green orbweb spider of variable colours and abdominal patterns. It has eight eyes arranged in two horizontal rows of four eyes each the females are about 7mm body length. Found on the edges of bush areas. Common in New Zealand gardens.  When they are disturbed they will drop to the ground and curl their legs up making then are to be seen by predators. (see photos below)
The males are much smaller than the females and commonly lack the showy colouring of their fairer sex. They often spin their own smaller orb web near an outlying portion of the female's, and males give the females wide berth. It is rare see male orb weavers, they are so reclusive.

A male spider about 5 mm body length. Note swollen palps.

Another colour variation. Photographed at Waihi.
[1] 

A brown sided female
[2] 

A  female.identified by her non-swollen palps.[3]

Another female [4]

Thanks to Wikipedia for text and information: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

 

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