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Fishing (Dolomedes)

The Pisauridae family’s fishing spiders have a wide distribution found primarily in Asia, alongside North America, South America, Africa, Europe, and New Zealand. Most species of this genus are semi-aquatic, inhabiting close to a water source, waiting for their prey. However, the white-banded fishing spider (Dolomedes albineus) is an exception, known to dwell on trees.

Fishing Spider

Scientific Classification

List of Spiders Belonging to the Genus

Dolomedes actaeon Dolomedes eberhardarum Dolomedes instabilis
Dolomedes albicomus Dolomedes elegans Dolomedes intermedius
Dolomedes albicoxus Dolomedes facetus Dolomedes japonicus
Dolomedes albineus Dolomedes fageli Dolomedes kalanoro
Dolomedes angolensis Dolomedes femoralis Dolomedes karschi
Dolomedes angustivirgatus Dolomedes fernandensis Dolomedes lafoensis
Dolomedes angustus Dolomedes fimbriatus Dolomedes laticeps
Dolomedes annulatus Dolomedes flaminius Dolomedes lesserti
Dolomedes aquaticus Dolomedes fontus Dolomedes lomensis
Dolomedes batesi Dolomedes furcatus Dolomedes machadoi
Dolomedes bistylus Dolomedes fuscipes Dolomedes macrops
Dolomedes boiei Dolomedes fuscus Dolomedes mendigoetmopasi
Dolomedes bukhkaloi Dolomedes gertschi Dolomedes minahassae
Dolomedes chevronus Dolomedes gracilipes Dolomedes minor
Dolomedes chinesus Dolomedes guamuhaya Dolomedes mizhoanus
Dolomedes chroesus Dolomedes habilis Dolomedes naja
Dolomedes costatus Dolomedes holti Dolomedes neocaledonicus
Dolomedes crosbyi Dolomedes horishanus Dolomedes nigrimaculatus
Dolomedes dondalei Dolomedes hyppomene Dolomedes noukhaiva
Dolomedes ohsuditia Dolomedes okefinokensis Dolomedes orion
Dolomedes palmatus Dolomedes palpiger Dolomedes paroculus
Dolomedes pegasus Dolomedes petalinus Dolomedes plantarius
Dolomedes pullatus Dolomedes raptor Dolomedes raptoroides
Dolomedes saganus Dolomedes schauinslandi Dolomedes scriptus
Dolomedes senilis Dolomedes signatus Dolomedes silvicola
Dolomedes smithi Dolomedes spathularis Dolomedes stilatus
Dolomedes straeleni Dolomedes striatus Dolomedes submarginalivittatus
Dolomedes sulfureus Dolomedes sumatranus Dolomedes tadzhikistanicus
Dolomedes tenebrosus or dark fishing spider Dolomedes titan Dolomedes toldo
Dolomedes transfuga Dolomedes triton Dolomedes upembensis
Dolomedes vatovae Dolomedes vittatus Dolomedes wetarius
Dolomedes wollastoni Dolomedes yawatai Dolomedes zatsun
Dolomedes zhangjiajiensis  
Dark Fishing Spider

Physical Description and Identification

Adults

Size: Most species are large, where females are around 1.0 inches (2.54 cm) with a leg span of around 3.1 inches (1.2 cm), while males appear smaller.

Color: Each species vary in coloration, but the common thing is the body color is related to their habitat. Those who live on rocky surfaces mostly have brown and grey body almost camouflaging against the surrounding. Those thriving near vegetations have pale stripes all over.

Other Characteristic Features: Their foremost legs have claws that help them move around. They also have short velvet hair covering their bodies, helping them stand or move in water with ease. These spiders are even characterized with thick legs, allowing them to handle preys bigger than them in size with ease.

Fishing Spider Size

Eggs

Females then carry the sacs until the eggs are hatched. Just before hatching, the mother spiders make a silk web, depositing the sacs safely on them.

Fishing Spider Egg

Spiderlings

After emerging, spiderlings stay 3-7 days on the web and then disperse either by walking or ballooning.

The Web

Spiders of this genus do not build webs. Instead, they catch their prey by implementing cunning tactics and also moving at top speed upon sighting them.

Are Fishing Spiders Venomous

Fishing spiders can inject venom when they bite, but that is not harmful to human beings as long as individuals are not allergic to spider bites.

Female Fishing Spider

Quick Facts

Other Names Dock spiders, wharf spiders, and raft spiders
Distribution All over the world
Habitat Mostly waters, but Dolomedes albineus lives in the tree
Diet Aquatic insects and fish
Lifespan Females: Up to 2 years
Males: 1 year to 1 year 2 months
Predator Snakes, birds, wasps, and dragonflies
Picture of Fishing Spiders

Did You Know

  • Diomedes in Greek translates to deceitful or wily, justifying the temperament of these spiders.
  • Although post-mating, all the male fishing spiders are eaten by their female counterparts. In some cases, they get eaten beforehand too. Either female spiders fail to recognize them as mates and mistake them for snacks, which could be a way of aggressively rejecting the mating proposal from the male spider. It also depends on female spiders, as they decide which one is more important for them at that point, food or mating.
  • They can figure out if any preys are around them by the vibration on the water surface.
  • Female fishing spiders have extremely good visions.

Image Credits: Bugguide.net, Nature.mdc.mo.gov, Uwm.edu, Twofrog.com, Spiderbytes.org, Cdn.whatsthatbug.com

The Pisauridae family’s fishing spiders have a wide distribution found primarily in Asia, alongside North America, South America, Africa, Europe, and New Zealand. Most species of this genus are semi-aquatic, inhabiting close to a water source, waiting for their prey. However, the white-banded fishing spider (Dolomedes albineus) is an exception, known to dwell on trees.

Fishing Spider

List of Spiders Belonging to the Genus

Dolomedes actaeon Dolomedes eberhardarum Dolomedes instabilis
Dolomedes albicomus Dolomedes elegans Dolomedes intermedius
Dolomedes albicoxus Dolomedes facetus Dolomedes japonicus
Dolomedes albineus Dolomedes fageli Dolomedes kalanoro
Dolomedes angolensis Dolomedes femoralis Dolomedes karschi
Dolomedes angustivirgatus Dolomedes fernandensis Dolomedes lafoensis
Dolomedes angustus Dolomedes fimbriatus Dolomedes laticeps
Dolomedes annulatus Dolomedes flaminius Dolomedes lesserti
Dolomedes aquaticus Dolomedes fontus Dolomedes lomensis
Dolomedes batesi Dolomedes furcatus Dolomedes machadoi
Dolomedes bistylus Dolomedes fuscipes Dolomedes macrops
Dolomedes boiei Dolomedes fuscus Dolomedes mendigoetmopasi
Dolomedes bukhkaloi Dolomedes gertschi Dolomedes minahassae
Dolomedes chevronus Dolomedes gracilipes Dolomedes minor
Dolomedes chinesus Dolomedes guamuhaya Dolomedes mizhoanus
Dolomedes chroesus Dolomedes habilis Dolomedes naja
Dolomedes costatus Dolomedes holti Dolomedes neocaledonicus
Dolomedes crosbyi Dolomedes horishanus Dolomedes nigrimaculatus
Dolomedes dondalei Dolomedes hyppomene Dolomedes noukhaiva
Dolomedes ohsuditia Dolomedes okefinokensis Dolomedes orion
Dolomedes palmatus Dolomedes palpiger Dolomedes paroculus
Dolomedes pegasus Dolomedes petalinus Dolomedes plantarius
Dolomedes pullatus Dolomedes raptor Dolomedes raptoroides
Dolomedes saganus Dolomedes schauinslandi Dolomedes scriptus
Dolomedes senilis Dolomedes signatus Dolomedes silvicola
Dolomedes smithi Dolomedes spathularis Dolomedes stilatus
Dolomedes straeleni Dolomedes striatus Dolomedes submarginalivittatus
Dolomedes sulfureus Dolomedes sumatranus Dolomedes tadzhikistanicus
Dolomedes tenebrosus or dark fishing spider Dolomedes titan Dolomedes toldo
Dolomedes transfuga Dolomedes triton Dolomedes upembensis
Dolomedes vatovae Dolomedes vittatus Dolomedes wetarius
Dolomedes wollastoni Dolomedes yawatai Dolomedes zatsun
Dolomedes zhangjiajiensis  
Dark Fishing Spider

Physical Description and Identification

Adults

Size: Most species are large, where females are around 1.0 inches (2.54 cm) with a leg span of around 3.1 inches (1.2 cm), while males appear smaller.

Color: Each species vary in coloration, but the common thing is the body color is related to their habitat. Those who live on rocky surfaces mostly have brown and grey body almost camouflaging against the surrounding. Those thriving near vegetations have pale stripes all over.

Other Characteristic Features: Their foremost legs have claws that help them move around. They also have short velvet hair covering their bodies, helping them stand or move in water with ease. These spiders are even characterized with thick legs, allowing them to handle preys bigger than them in size with ease.

Fishing Spider Size

Eggs

Females then carry the sacs until the eggs are hatched. Just before hatching, the mother spiders make a silk web, depositing the sacs safely on them.

Fishing Spider Egg

Spiderlings

After emerging, spiderlings stay 3-7 days on the web and then disperse either by walking or ballooning.

The Web

Spiders of this genus do not build webs. Instead, they catch their prey by implementing cunning tactics and also moving at top speed upon sighting them.

Are Fishing Spiders Venomous

Fishing spiders can inject venom when they bite, but that is not harmful to human beings as long as individuals are not allergic to spider bites.

Female Fishing Spider

Quick Facts

Other Names Dock spiders, wharf spiders, and raft spiders
Distribution All over the world
Habitat Mostly waters, but Dolomedes albineus lives in the tree
Diet Aquatic insects and fish
Lifespan Females: Up to 2 years
Males: 1 year to 1 year 2 months
Predator Snakes, birds, wasps, and dragonflies
Picture of Fishing Spiders

Did You Know

  • Diomedes in Greek translates to deceitful or wily, justifying the temperament of these spiders.
  • Although post-mating, all the male fishing spiders are eaten by their female counterparts. In some cases, they get eaten beforehand too. Either female spiders fail to recognize them as mates and mistake them for snacks, which could be a way of aggressively rejecting the mating proposal from the male spider. It also depends on female spiders, as they decide which one is more important for them at that point, food or mating.
  • They can figure out if any preys are around them by the vibration on the water surface.
  • Female fishing spiders have extremely good visions.

Image Credits: Bugguide.net, Nature.mdc.mo.gov, Uwm.edu, Twofrog.com, Spiderbytes.org, Cdn.whatsthatbug.com

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