What Are the Differences Between the Male & Female Ogre-Faced Spider?
The ogre-faced spider, also known as the web-casting spider, receives its name because of its large protruding eyes and prominent fangs. This species of spider is nocturnal, spending its day resting beneath vegetation and its evening hours ensnaring food in its webs. The life cycle of this species of spider begins and ends in the summer to autumn months, when the spiders mature and mate. Ogre-faced spiders live primarily in the forested parts of southeastern Australia. They are not believed to be dangerous to humans.
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Size and Shape
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The male ogre-faced spider is smaller than the female counterpart. While the male may be about 10 to 15 millimeters long, the female may reach 25 millimeters in length. The male spider is more slender and sticklike than the female and sports a pair of small white horny protrusions above his eyes. The female possesses a hump midway down each side of the abdomen.
Color and Pattern
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The female ogre-faced spider has a light pink-brown body, with small bright orange spots covering the underside of the abdomen. The male's body is light gray with a darker gray striped pattern running longitudinally over the top of the body.
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Genital Organs
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The male ogre-faced spider, like many other male spiders, possesses enlarged pedipalps. Pedipalps are male sexual organs that somewhat resemble bulb-like boxing gloves and are carried in front of the spider's body below the eyes. The female ogre-faced spider has an epigyne underneath the abdomen; this genital organ appears as a black oval plate with two small openings.
Mating Behavior
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During the summer and fall mating season, the male's responsibility is to woo the female by plucking at the edge of its web. If the male is successful, the female will remain still to allow the male to mate. After mating, the female creates up to four firm, round, brown-flecked egg sacs suspended from foliage with a silken thread and camouflaged with leaves.
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References
- Australian Museum; Net-Casting Spiders; Dr. Mike Gray; 2009
- Australian Museum; Rufous Net-Casting Spiders; Dr. Mike Gray; 2009
- Biodiversity Explorer; Spider Reproduction, Growth, and Development; Norman Larsen
- Darlington School: Ogre-Faced Spiders, Family Deinopidae
- Insect Identification; Spiders; Subejo Paijo; May 2, 2010
