Subject: Strange-Looking Spider
Geographic location of the bug: Tamshiyacu Tahuayo Regional Conservation Area, Loreto, Peru
Date: 06/15/2018
Time: 10:51 PM EDT
Your letter to the bugman: Hello-
I was in Peru last month and found this unique-looking spider in my canoe. It is definitely a spider, as it used a silk dropline and had its body divided into two distinct parts (it only had 7 legs, but I suspect it originally had 8 and lost one). I am at an utter loss to what species it is. Would you please be able to help identify it? I apologize for the lack of a better-quality picture.
How you want your letter signed: Captain Nemesis
Dear Captain Nemesis,
This is quite an unusual looking Spider. It reminds us of of the Scorpion Tailed Spider from Australia, though we do not believe your individual is in the Orbweaver family. We are posting your image while we attempt to identify your unusual Spider. Perhaps Cesar Crash of Insetologia will recognize it.
Update: Thanks to Karl who submitted a comment identifying this as a Whip Spider in the genus Ariamnes, and providing a link to pBase. Arachnidos de Centroamerica also has a matching image.
It looks like one of the Whip Spiders (Theridiidae: Ariamnes sp.). It could be one of at least three species: A. attenuatus, A. longissimus or A. schlingeri. Compare to A. longissimus.
http://www.pbase.com/tmurray74/image/142630578
Thanks for the help Karl.
Have a great day.
It looks like one of the Whip Spiders (Theridiidae: Ariamnes sp.). It could be one of at least three species: A. attenuatus, A. longissimus or A. schlingeri. Compare to A. longissimus.
http://www.pbase.com/tmurray74/image/142630578