Back to photostream

IMG_5292-1(W) Female Orange Giant Trapdoor Spider (Liphistius desultor) - Schiödte, 1849

Location: northern Peninsular Malaysia

Also known as Giant Trapdoor Spider.

 

L. desultor can grow as large as the Liphistius malayanus and can be easily differentiated by the brilliant reddish-orange colour. This species is a close relative to the Liphistius malayanus.

 

Trapdoor spider usually waits patiently at the "door" of its burrow whereby a typical trap-door usually possess about 8 spider trip-lines (refer to photo below) in which the trapdoor spider uses as prey-detecting mechanism.

 

The smart trapdoor spider places each end of its legs (and pedipalps) on each trip line, this will allows it to sense the prey size, distance and other vital information of the prey to be (potential ambush). Once triggered, the trapdoor spider will rush out and ambush its prey in super fast motion.

 

Distribution: Liphistius, the sole genus in the subfamily Liphistiinae, is found only in Southeast Asia (Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, and Sumatra).

 

 

 

4,559 views
82 faves
53 comments
Uploaded on September 4, 2018
Taken on September 2, 2018