Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
(unranked): Arachnomorpha
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneida
Family: Stiphidiidae
Scientific name; Stiphidion facetum
Synonym: Amarara fera
Common name: Sombrero spider
Stiphidion facetum is a fast running spider of the sheet web family. It is an Australian immigrant that was first seen here early last century. It is common on the North Island and but it has now been reported established in Dunedin in the South Island.
Stiphidion facetum has distinctive, dark, long legs that are striped with light brown to yellow bands. The abdomen is a mottled brown. Body length is 6m- 10mm. The male abdomen is narrower the females.
It is named the Sombrero spider as its builds a sheet web that looks like an upside-down sombrero (an inverted cone). The cone is held in place by guy lines anchored to the margins of the sheet. The spider waits on the substrate under the cone waiting for insects to fall into its trap. These cone-shaped webs are constructed under overhanging banks, under bridges, in woodsheds, under eaves of houses, under rocky overhangs and in the hollows of trees.
Notice the light transparent blue band around the edge of the cephalothorax. This is seen in this species.
[http://ketenewplymouth.peoplesnetworknz.info/image_files/0000/0009/5618/Sombrero_spider__Stiphidion_facetum_.JPG
The spider in this photo had an overall length of (including legs) 40 mm.][http://ketenewplymouth.peoplesnetworknz.info/image_files/0000/0007/9998/Sombrero_spider__Stiphidion_facetum_.JPG
]
Male
[4]
Male swollen palps
Very small juvenile.
[7]
Adult
[8]
Male
[9]
Male
Male
