Nephilengys malabarensis

Nephilengys malabarensis
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Subphylum:	Chelicerata
Class:	Arachnida
Order:	Araneae
Infraorder:	Araneomorphae
Family:	Araneidae
Genus:	Nephilengys
Species:	N. malabarensis
Binomial name
Nephilengys malabarensis (Walckenaer, 1842)
Synonyms
Epeira malabarensis Walckenaer, 1841 Walckenaer, 1841 Doleschall, 1859 Hasselt, 1882 Nephila malabarensis Nephila rivulata (Walckenaer, 1841) Epeira malabarica O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1871 Tikader, 1977 Nephilengys niahensis Nephilengys schmeltzii Deeleman-Reinhold, 1989 Epeira anama Doleschall, 1857 L. Koch, 1872 Nephilengys hofmanni Epeira rhodosternon L. Koch, 1872 Metepeira andamanensis Nephila urna

Nephilengys malabarensis is an araneid spider.

Females reach a body length of about 15 millimetres (0.59 in). The legs and palp are annulated yellow and black. Male body size less than 5 millimetres (0.20 in), with mostly grey-black legs.

N. malabarensis is being preyed upon by the spider-eating jumping spider Portia.

Name

The species name malabarensis refers to the Malabar coast of southern India, where it was first found.

Distribution

N. malabarensis occurs in South, South-East and East Asia from India and Sri Lanka to the Philippines, north to Yunnan, China, north-east to Saga and Kompira, Japan and east to Ambon Island of Indonesia. It is common at human dwellings and less common in rainforest. The Niah population inhabits cave entrances.

Further reading

• Kralj-Fišer, S.; Kuntner, M. (2011). "Eunuchs as better fighters?". Naturwissenschaften. 99 (2): 95–101. Bibcode:2012NW.....99...95K. doi:10.1007/s00114-011-0873-1. PMID 22167072. S2CID 14727700.