The Web Master Diver: Macrophotography and Video
Argynoreta Aquatica is known to be the only spider species that abode in water.
This sounds impossible for spiders popularly known for their engineering genius in trees, and other land structures. But out of the 40,000 known species of spiders in the world, one of the most unusual among them is the spider Argynoreta aquatica. It is about 0.75 inches long. It is only found naturally in lakes and streams in the continents of Asia and Europe. First, let’s have a look a the sister species of the diver.
Spiders are of varying size, color, shape and the way they make their web. The biggest spiders are tarantulas, having bodies that are more than 4 inches (10 centimeters) long, whereas the smallest spiders have bodies that are less than 0.04 inch (1 millimeter) long.
This is a male Phidippus (or genus if you like) has without a doubt the greatest chelicerae, with a wide range of colors. Known to be another athletic spider , a jumper.
Spiders are known to have spinning glands used to produce silken threads and webs. The glands, found in the spider’s abdomen make a liquid that goes out through tubes called spigots, which are thin as hair strands. The spigots go to spinnerets on the spider’s abdomen. Dozens of spigots go to each spinneret which is like a finger. They can move to stick silk threads to a wall or wrap prey in silk.
All spiders make silk threads but not all spin webs. Variation on the web pattern is large depending on the species of spiders. The most identifiable web is the almost circular orb web. Others have a more irregular shape, fragile webs.
Spiders that make funnel web are known to be the poisonous spider.
Cobweb spiders build an irregular silk interlocking work with sticky threads that traps insects.
Sheet web spiders construct a horizontal silk sheet , from which the small spider hangs upside down. The photographer lay down when he took the photograph to get a better view on the web.
Just as how other organisms need air to sustain life, the water spider moves to the surface of the water to avail the life-saving oxygen. Other than that, it fills itself with air. As it moves down into his creation, it outpours most of its air into the web forming bubbles. It again swam to the surface of the water to avail another bubble. The web resulted into a kind of bell or dome from the input of air.
How does the Argynoreta create its underwater habitat? Living marine plants should be present which serve as the framework. The little engineer patiently moves back and forth from one stem to another, spinnerets shuddering elatedly as it juts out most invisible, sleek strands. After a while, a grand design anchored to the plants by slender threads is established. This tiny diver build air-filled abode inside the water which serves as its dining room, bedroom and even a nursing room for its young.
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31 Responses to “The Web Master Diver: Macrophotography and Video”
On November 22, 2008 at 6:17 am
Nasty little buggers aren’t they!
Grant
On November 22, 2008 at 7:34 am
Nice article, but I HATE spiders!
On November 22, 2008 at 8:09 am
interesting post MJ and congrats
On November 22, 2008 at 9:08 am
Thank you for all the comments. Sorry, if some of you hate spider, but to let you know or identify the poisonous spider is one of my pointers.
On November 22, 2008 at 9:53 am
Yikes! I’m terrified of spiders. Great article though.
On November 22, 2008 at 10:15 am
Wonderful article. Very informative and interesting!
On November 22, 2008 at 10:32 am
There is actually one video missing where you can see how the spider carry bubbles down to his baby spider. I already send a fix.
On November 22, 2008 at 11:01 am
Spiders scare the heck out me MJ. I love this piece. Great pics along with wonderful commentary
On November 22, 2008 at 1:18 pm
Great article! Though it’s scary, it is still very fascinating!
On November 22, 2008 at 1:22 pm
Thank you very to triond for the quick fix. And to the readers for the comments.
On November 22, 2008 at 1:39 pm
Beautiful work, excellent videos, work that is worth twice, since you’re the first woman I know who dares to interact with spiders .Thank you.
On November 22, 2008 at 1:47 pm
beautiful and informative…my son loves spiders and has been catching them lately
On November 22, 2008 at 2:56 pm
To Juancav, thank you for the compliments, I am only scared of the poisonous one. That was the reason why I took effort to research on spider, now I am able to identify.
On November 22, 2008 at 3:35 pm
Interesting article MJ
On November 22, 2008 at 3:42 pm
That’s really interesting!
Thank you,
Inna
On November 22, 2008 at 5:22 pm
Very fascinating article MJ. Never came across about this wonderful guy before.
On November 22, 2008 at 6:28 pm
Great work, MJ! I never came across the water spider, fascinating!
Keep it up, that was very enjoyable.
On November 22, 2008 at 9:54 pm
Great photos, but I must agree with the consensus about spiders. Incidentally, I first came to the USA from Australia as a VIF teacher. I worked with a couple of teachers from the Philipines, a Biology, and a Math teacher.
On November 23, 2008 at 11:06 am
I luuuuurv spiders! They are cool! Thanks for an interesting piece!
On November 24, 2008 at 8:50 am
Wow, awesome and interesting! Take care!
On November 24, 2008 at 10:54 am
Fantastic, what an amazing world we live in.
On November 24, 2008 at 12:03 pm
Excellently written piece
On November 24, 2008 at 10:30 pm
Very ineresting article…great sjots too, thanks. God bless,
On November 25, 2008 at 9:55 pm
Fascinating stuff!
On November 28, 2008 at 9:29 pm
Beautiful picture and great article. I like it!
On November 29, 2008 at 1:56 pm
Nice post!!
On December 4, 2008 at 5:16 am
We keep spiders at home. They’re about an inch, but definitely just house-spiders. We love them. They keep mosquitoes away. Thanks for this nice post!
On December 18, 2008 at 4:55 pm
MJ, these picture are stunning and loved the videos especially the one where the spider is taking water from the top and then cocooning its young in the water bubble. I’ve done a similar article, but to do with creatures deep in the ocean. However, you have stunning macrovision photos of many unseen creepy crawlies. Well done!
On December 22, 2008 at 10:18 pm
Interesting and informative — I loved the pictures!
On December 31, 2008 at 5:15 pm
I enjoyed reading this informative article.Shh..sh-don’t tell anyone ;I think most spiders are beautiful.It must be the structure that facinates me. On the other hand my adult boys cannot stand the sight of them.
On March 1, 2009 at 11:11 am
I like seeing spiders. There are lots of them in the rural areas nearby. However not everything are meant to be touched, especially if they are touchy.
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