Palystes

Palystes belongs to the huntsman spider family indigenous to parts of the Pacific, Australia, India, and Africa. The Palystes genus has 22 species as per the existing records.

Palystes Spider

Scientific Classification

Spiders Belonging To This Genus

  • Palystes ansiedippenaarae
  • Palystes castaneus
  • Palystes convexus
  • Palystes crawshayi
  • Palystes ellioti
  • Palystes flavidus
  • Palystes fornasinii
  • Palystes hoehneli
  • Palystes johnstoni
  • Palystes karooensis
  • Palystes kreutzmanni
  • Palystes leppanae
  • Palystes leroyorum
  • Palystes lunatus
  • Palystes martinfilmeri
  • Palystes perornatus
  • Palystes pinnotheres
  • Palystes reticulatus
  • Palystes spiralis
  • Palystes stilleri
  • Palystes stuarti
  • Rain (Palystes superciliosus)

Physical Description & Identification

Adults

Size: They are big, being 15 mm to 36 mm (0.59 inches to 1.41 inches) long.

Color: The spiders of this genus have a velvety appearance with a brown or tan body. The undersides of their have bands of color.

Other Characteristic Features: A big moustachial stripe extends below their front eyes to their fangs.

Eggs

The eggs remain in a round silken sac having a length between 60 and 100mm (2.36 inches to 3.93 inches), which is intently guarded by the females until the spiderlings hatch.

Spiderlings

After being with their mother for about four weeks, they disperse to be on their own.

The Web

Belonging to the huntsman spider family, they do not build webs but hut for their prey.

Are Species of the Palystes Genus Venomous and Do They Bite

They are harmless to humans, attacking when provoked, with their bite equivalent to a bee sting, causing swelling or a burning sensation that would last for a couple of days. Gardeners have often been a victim of the female Palystes, especially during the period when the latter are possessively protecting their egg sac.

Quick Facts

Other Names Lizard-eating spiders, rain spiders
Lifespan Approximately two years
Distribution India, Australia, the Pacific region, and Africa
Habitat Homes, gardens, woodpiles, mine shafts, tree barks
Common Predators Pompilid wasps
Diet Insects, geckoes and other spiders

Did You Know

  • The name Palystes means wrestler, derived from the Greek or Latin words palaistes or palaestes, respectively.
  • Ludwig Carl Christian Koch described this genus in 1875 for the first time,
  • Palystes superciliosus or the Common rain spider indigenous to South Africa is the most popular species of this genus.

Image Credits: biodiversityexplorer.info

Palystes belongs to the huntsman spider family indigenous to parts of the Pacific, Australia, India, and Africa. The Palystes genus has 22 species as per the existing records.

Palystes Spider

Spiders Belonging To This Genus

  • Palystes ansiedippenaarae
  • Palystes castaneus
  • Palystes convexus
  • Palystes crawshayi
  • Palystes ellioti
  • Palystes flavidus
  • Palystes fornasinii
  • Palystes hoehneli
  • Palystes johnstoni
  • Palystes karooensis
  • Palystes kreutzmanni
  • Palystes leppanae
  • Palystes leroyorum
  • Palystes lunatus
  • Palystes martinfilmeri
  • Palystes perornatus
  • Palystes pinnotheres
  • Palystes reticulatus
  • Palystes spiralis
  • Palystes stilleri
  • Palystes stuarti
  • Rain (Palystes superciliosus)

Physical Description & Identification

Adults

Size: They are big, being 15 mm to 36 mm (0.59 inches to 1.41 inches) long.

Color: The spiders of this genus have a velvety appearance with a brown or tan body. The undersides of their have bands of color.

Other Characteristic Features: A big moustachial stripe extends below their front eyes to their fangs.

Eggs

The eggs remain in a round silken sac having a length between 60 and 100mm (2.36 inches to 3.93 inches), which is intently guarded by the females until the spiderlings hatch.

Spiderlings

After being with their mother for about four weeks, they disperse to be on their own.

The Web

Belonging to the huntsman spider family, they do not build webs but hut for their prey.

Are Species of the Palystes Genus Venomous and Do They Bite

They are harmless to humans, attacking when provoked, with their bite equivalent to a bee sting, causing swelling or a burning sensation that would last for a couple of days. Gardeners have often been a victim of the female Palystes, especially during the period when the latter are possessively protecting their egg sac.

Quick Facts

Other Names Lizard-eating spiders, rain spiders
Lifespan Approximately two years
Distribution India, Australia, the Pacific region, and Africa
Habitat Homes, gardens, woodpiles, mine shafts, tree barks
Common Predators Pompilid wasps
Diet Insects, geckoes and other spiders

Did You Know

  • The name Palystes means wrestler, derived from the Greek or Latin words palaistes or palaestes, respectively.
  • Ludwig Carl Christian Koch described this genus in 1875 for the first time,
  • Palystes superciliosus or the Common rain spider indigenous to South Africa is the most popular species of this genus.

Image Credits: biodiversityexplorer.info