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Dolomedes / d ɒ l ə ˈ m iː d iː z / is a genus of large spiders of the family Pisauridae.They are also known as fishing spiders, raft spiders, dock spiders or wharf spiders.Almost all Dolomedes species are semiaquatic, with the exception of the tree-dwelling D. albineus of the southeastern United States.
These spiders live near ponds, lakes, rivers and other freshwater habitats, and can walk on water like water striders due to fine air-trapping hairs on the tips of their legs. They can also dive under the surface, and can stay underwater for over an hour by using the air trapped in hairs surrounding their book lungs .
Holotype male, Lincoln University [2]. D. dondalei was known as Dolomedes III for some time before being named and described by Cor J. Vink and Nadine Dupérré in 2010. [1] [3] The male type specimen of this species is held in the Lincoln University Entomology Research Collection and was collected by Vink on Banks Peninsula, near Barrys Bay, in 2003. [4]
L. arenicola spiders use temporal summation in order to be able to see dim lighting during night-time wanderings. [3] The species was first described by Reginald Frederick Lawrence in 1962, who described all the species in the genus Leucorchestris .
As an anti-predator response, air and water borne vibrations act as stimuli leading spiders to dive underwater and grab hold of a submerged substrate, such as aquatic vegetation or submerged rocks. An air capsule covers the spider, allowing the spider, if healthy, to re-emerge from the water completely dry.
As a nocturnal species, Dolomedes minor hunts and scavenges for food at night. The prey spectrum of the spider consists of a variety of small organisms including locusts, other spiders, dobsonfly larvae, earthworms, bees and other small insects (Williams, 1978).
It has special hairs that repel water, allowing it to walk on water, and trap an air bubble on its abdomen to dive and swim, so that it can hunt tadpoles and aquatic invertebrates. [ 6 ] Regional color variation of the white-banded fishing spider, with a white face
The diving bell spider or water spider (Argyroneta aquatica) is the only species of spider known to live almost entirely under water. It is the only member of the genus Argyroneta . [ 6 ] When out of the water, the spider ranges in colour from mid to dark brown, although the hairs on the abdomen give it a dark grey, velvet -like appearance. [ 7 ]