Spiders
Other hunting spiders
Nyssus albopunctatus

Nyssus albopunctatus (White-spotted swift spider)

Family Corinnidae.

Notes from Raven (2015) pp.142-144
  • Males and females differ from those of other species in the N. albopunctatus group by the more numerous (10) patches of white hair dorsally on the abdomen.
  • Males occur in two forms in which the rectaguloid scute on the ventral abdomen may be present or apparently absent (no other consistent difference has been found between them). Males of both forms are sympatric in at least some sites taken in the same sample. Appears that the degree of sclerotisation of the scute is not consistent, which may be related to the time since moult (males with weak or less hardened ventral scute presumed to have moulted more recently).
  • As with N. coloripes, N. albopunctatus is found in open forest habitats throughout Australia, including Tasmania, as well as parts of New Zealand.

Description of characteristics:

  • Male
    • carapace dark red-brown with light cover of fine black hairs and dense patches of white hairs forming narrow carapace margin and paired markings:
      • long pair widely flanks eyes to half caput length, three irregular pairs laterally;
    • abdomen dorsally dark red brown with extensive scute also decked in both black and white hairs:
      • a pair in lower lateral face, larger pair on anterior shoulders, five successively smaller pairs converging posteriorly, two pairs in mid-lateral abdomen and in posterior third;
    • ventral abdomen with dark red brown scute;
    • legs dark red brown, coxae dorsally with silver hairs;
    • small white tufts of distal tibia and patellae III and IV;
    • sternum, maxillae and labium dark red-brown, coxae lighter, inner maxillary margin pallid;
    • white tuft high on each chelicera;
    • white bands basally on femur IV;
    • Carapace:
      • pear-shaped;
      • caput and thorax raised;
    • Line of long erect black bristles from PME to fovea and irregular line on lateral caput along contour anteriorly

Other Resources: 

Arachne.org.au

Nyssus albopunctatus is listed in the following regions:

Canberra & Southern Tablelands  |  Albury, Wodonga  |  South Coast  |  New South Wales North Coast  |  Hume

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