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April 28, 2008
Oh, what a golden web she weaves (part III)
Posted by neil, at 09:35 AM
Funny, the things that you see in nature, like this humanoid face on the cephalothorax of a golden orb-weaver, Nephila pilipes.
I have previously described aspects of this spectacular species of spider, here and here. With this instalment, the adult female in the image below descended from her web on the 19th April to build her egg-sac on the ceramic-tiled floor of our living room.
At the outset, her abdomen was rotund, perhaps twice the diameter of the largest aspect within the image captured at the conclusion of the construction.
On a foundation bed of the same orange silk that can be seen, a white disk was established and then encased in more of the orange material. Five weeks later, the orange casing had lifted. The white disc had been abandoned, but its character was surprisingly hard; rather like coral in its chalky-porousness. I can only imagine that it was produced in much the same way as a mantid’s ootheca - soft upon release but hardened under external exposure.
It had been my understanding that egg-laying was the final phase in the three-month life-cycle of this species, but this individual struggled back to the ceiling and over a succession of days manged to rebuild a small web. Aided by the sympathies of my children, a number of march flies allowed for a fuller recovery and the re-establishment of a master-web. She lived another month and then presumably underwent a second and final reproductive cycle.
Posted by neil at April 28, 2008 09:35 AM
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Comments
The lower picture is stunning Neil. Thanks. The "face" reminds me of the mask used by the "assistant" in a Lion Dance. eg http://starbulletin.com/2001/01/18/features/artb.jpg
Posted by: Libby at April 28, 2008 10:11 AM
Sorry Libby, can't see the similarity?
But it's just amazing what nature comes up with.
I mean, did nature know, how a human face would look like?
Unless of course it's just one of those things?
Cheers
Posted by: Johnathan Wilkes at April 29, 2008 07:58 PM
Sorry Jonathan, I figured I'd get that response! Primates have faces quite similar to us, so maybe a howler, proboscis or siamang would look at it and ask how nature knew what a monkey face would look like? Poor golden orb-weaver - we've given her Homo sapien features when she is a beautiful being for what she is.
Posted by: Libby at April 29, 2008 08:53 PM
Happy not to disappoint you Libby.
You got at least one response of the like you expected.
Not sure what you mean by saying "howler, proboscis or siamang would look at it and ask how nature"?
Are attributing as much intelligence to them as humans may have? (well, some of us anyway?)
Seriously, I think it is just one of those coincidences, we tend to read into things more that there is.
Posted by: Johnathan Wilkes at April 29, 2008 09:17 PM
"Are attributing"
Sorry read!
Are you attributing!
Posted by: Johnathan Wilkes at April 29, 2008 09:20 PM
Great photograph.
And yes it is 'humanoid' and also like the 'mask used by the assistant', to quote Neil and Libby respectively.
I find the colour most beautiful: gold.
Posted by: Jennifer at April 29, 2008 10:12 PM
Hi Johnathan,
For proboscis see:
http://pictopia.com/perl/get_image?provider_id=318&size=550x550_mb&ptp_photo_id=279400
For howler see:
http://hoglezoo.org/animal.photos/howler.monkey.jpg
For siamang see:
http://homepage.mac.com/wildlifeweb/mammal/siamang/siamang_face01tk.jpg
You pondered if nature knew how a human face would look, but the above guys might as well be asking if nature knew what a monkey face would look like if they were asked if they saw a 'face' in the structure on the spider's back. We are all quite similar, with forward facing eyes and nose and mouth on a flatish face.
No, intelligence didn't come into my comment - just looks. Mind you, I chose a female proboscis monkey picture, a male looks a tad different!
http://allhatnocattle.net/victo.jpg
I agree Jennifer, the golden colour is almost mesmerising.
Posted by: Libby at April 30, 2008 08:14 AM