Nephilengys borbonica
Encyclopedia
Nephilengys borbonica is a nephilid
spider from Madagascar
and nearby islands .
ranges from dark grey to brown or purple.
While the sternum is not red in most specimens, it is so in some females from Madagascar, and all studied females from the Comoro Islands. Female abdomen color Madagascar ranges from white though creamy brown to purple, while those of Mauritius
are white, and ones from Réunion are red .
Females length ranges from 15 mm to 24 mm in Madagascar; females from Mauritius and Réunion tend to be smaller, with lengths up to 18 mm. Male body length ranges from 3 mm to 5 mm .
and surrounding islands, such as the Mascarene Islands
, Comoro Islands
and Seychelles
(including the Aldabra
atoll
). They are common in human dwellings in Madagascar, and were observed in cloud forests at up to 1,500 m elevation in Réunion .
Nephilidae
The Nephilidae are a spider family with 75 described species in four genera. They were formerly grouped in the families Araneidae and Tetragnathidae. The genus Singafrotypa was moved to Araneidae in 2002.All nephilid genera partially renew their webs....
spider from Madagascar
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
and nearby islands .
Anatomy
The color of the abdomenAbdomen
In vertebrates such as mammals the abdomen constitutes the part of the body between the thorax and pelvis. The region enclosed by the abdomen is termed the abdominal cavity...
ranges from dark grey to brown or purple.
While the sternum is not red in most specimens, it is so in some females from Madagascar, and all studied females from the Comoro Islands. Female abdomen color Madagascar ranges from white though creamy brown to purple, while those of Mauritius
Mauritius
Mauritius , officially the Republic of Mauritius is an island nation off the southeast coast of the African continent in the southwest Indian Ocean, about east of Madagascar...
are white, and ones from Réunion are red .
Females length ranges from 15 mm to 24 mm in Madagascar; females from Mauritius and Réunion tend to be smaller, with lengths up to 18 mm. Male body length ranges from 3 mm to 5 mm .
Distribution
N. borbonica occurs in MadagascarMadagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
and surrounding islands, such as the Mascarene Islands
Mascarene Islands
The Mascarene Islands is a group of islands in the Indian Ocean east of Madagascar comprising Mauritius, Réunion, Rodrigues, Cargados Carajos shoals, plus the former islands of the Saya de Malha, Nazareth and Soudan banks...
, Comoro Islands
Comoro Islands
The Comoros Islands form an archipelago of volcanic islands situated off the south-east coast of Africa, to the east of Mozambique and north-west of Madagascar. They are divided between the sovereign state of Comoros and the French overseas department of Mayotte...
and Seychelles
Seychelles
Seychelles , officially the Republic of Seychelles , is an island country spanning an archipelago of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean, some east of mainland Africa, northeast of the island of Madagascar....
(including the Aldabra
Aldabra
Aldabra, the world's second largest coral atoll, is in the Aldabra Group of islands in the Indian Ocean that form part of the Seychelles. Uninhabited and extremely isolated, Aldabra is virtually untouched by humans, has distinctive island fauna including the Aldabra Giant Tortoise, and is...
atoll
Atoll
An atoll is a coral island that encircles a lagoon partially or completely.- Usage :The word atoll comes from the Dhivehi word atholhu OED...
). They are common in human dwellings in Madagascar, and were observed in cloud forests at up to 1,500 m elevation in Réunion .