Common grass funnel-web spider (Olorunia ocellata)

There are literally hundreds of these in my area, wherever there is grass, these guys will build their webs. In the morning dew it is really quite stunning

comments (3)

Claire Hamilton

Lion

http://www.jungledragon.com/image/14677
The web
Identified here:
http://www.djaniwildlife.co.za/wildways-games/content/text/spider%20families/web%20dwellers/funnel-web%20spiders/03%20agelenidae%2001.html
Posted 11 years ago, modified 11 years ago
1. WildFlower
  
  Lion
  
  I'm not sure what to do with this one, spider identification is very confusing
  A few sources describe the species Olorunia ocellata
  http://books.google.bg/books?id=zgxfRnYbiYcC&dq=Olorunia+ocellata&hl=en&source=gbs_navlinks_s
  http://ecoport.org/ep?SearchType=pdb&PdbID=22686
  http://www.spiderclub.co.za/gallery.html
  http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/11058154
  http://www.outdoorphoto.co.za/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=291778
  
  there is a comment suggesting that the name has been changed and that the species are very similar
  http://www.ispot.org.za/node/216984
  
  name change described in this catalogue
  http://research.amnh.org/iz/spiders/catalog/AGELENIDAE.html
  http://platnick.sklipkani.cz/html/Benoitia.html
  
  There are a few entries for Benoitia ocellata (Pocock, 1900), but no photos
  http://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=874965
  http://www.gbif.org/species/2139809
  http://www.gbif.org/occurrence/search?taxon_key=2139809&dataset_key=823c374e-b830-4ff2-9e97-0e86c39a3d8a
  http://eol.org/pages/1199827/maps
  http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benoitia_ocellata
  http://globalspecies.org/ntaxa/83237
  http://zipcodezoo.com/Animals/B/Benoitia_ocellata/
  
  In this book only Olorunia punctata is reported
  http://www.arc.agric.za/arc-ppri/Documents/1.SPIDERATLASFAMILIESAE.pdf
  whereas in this catalogue it is reported from Congo
  http://platnick.sklipkani.cz/html/Olorunia.html Posted 11 years ago

Claire Hamilton

Lion

Wow, well done!
Having a look at this report (p23), there appears to be only Benoitia ocellata listed and not Olurunia ocellata.
http://www.dspace.up.ac.za/bitstream/handle/2263/19609/Foord_Faunistic%282011%29.pdf?sequence=1
There is also a B. raymondeae but the is a severe lack of information on this one and as its previous name included ocellata then I would be inclined to go with B. ocellata.
If you are not happy with this then i will send it off to one of the arachnologists for identification.
Thank you for all your efforts! Posted 11 years ago

The Common grass funnel-web spider

Funnel web weavers are small to medium sized spiders often found in grassy fields or living among leaf litter in forests . In many species, the second pair of spinnerets are twice the length of the first pair. They spin sheet webs of nonsticky silk with a characteristic funnel extending off to one side. The funnel is where the spider hides while awaiting prey . There is a 3-dimensional barrier web spun above the sheet web, and when a prey item falls through onto the sheet web, the spider quickly.. more

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Similar species: Spiders

Species identified by Ferdy Christant