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5 January 2025 The natural history of the Australian garden orb-weaving spiders Hortophora biapicata and H. transmarina (Araneae: Araneidae)
Nikolas J. Willmott
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Abstract

Australia is home to an incredible diversity of spiders, but much of their biology remains unstudied. The orb-weaving spiders (family Araneidae) are especially diverse and frequently encountered, yet the ecology of very few species has been explored. The common name “Australian garden orb-weaver” refers to several species, including Hortophora transmarina (Keyserling, 1865), found mostly along Australia's east coast, and Hortophora biapicata (L Koch, 1871), found mostly along Australia's south and south-eastern coasts. These two similar species are large, nocturnal orb-weavers that occupy a wide range of both natural and anthropogenically disturbed habitats. Here, I describe the general morphology, habitat use, diet and foraging behavior, key predators, laboratory rearing, and mating dynamics of these common but understudied spiders. This information was gathered via field observations, laboratory experiments, and literature reviews. These spiders provide a useful system for studying a number of aspects of spider biology, including mating systems, predation, anti-predator defences, and nocturnal behaviors.

Nikolas J. Willmott "The natural history of the Australian garden orb-weaving spiders Hortophora biapicata and H. transmarina (Araneae: Araneidae)," The Journal of Arachnology 52(3), 199-209, (5 January 2025). https://doi.org/10.1636/JoA-S-22-061
Received: 7 November 2022; Accepted: 17 May 2023; Published: 5 January 2025
KEYWORDS
development
diet
mating
parasitoid
predation
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