Anelosimus decaryi
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| Anelosimus decaryi | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Araneomorphae |
| Family: | Theridiidae |
| Genus: | Anelosimus |
| Species: | A. decaryi |
| Binomial name | |
| Anelosimus decaryi (Fage, 1930) | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Anelosimus decaryi is a species of spider in the family Theridiidae. It is found in Madagascar, the Seychelles (Aldabra), Comoros, and Mayotte.[1] The species is notable for its association with pitcher plants of the genus Nepenthes, where it constructs webs to capture small insects.[2]
The species name decaryi honors the French botanist Raymond Decary, who collected the original specimens in Madagascar.[2]
Taxonomy
The species was originally described as Theridion decaryi by Louis Fage in 1930, based on specimens found in the pitchers of Nepenthes madagascariensis in Madagascar.[2] In 1983, M.J. Roberts described what he believed to be a new species, Anelosimus locketi, from Aldabra in the Seychelles.[3] However, in 2005, Agnarsson and Kuntner recognized that Roberts' species was actually the same as Fage's Theridion decaryi, transferring it to the genus Anelosimus and synonymizing A. locketi with A. decaryi.[4]
Distribution
Anelosimus decaryi has been recorded from several locations across the western Indian Ocean region. In Madagascar, it has been found around Fort-Dauphin (now Tôlanaro), Sainte-Marie Island, and Diego-Suarez (now Antsiranana).[2] The species also occurs in the Seychelles, specifically on Aldabra Atoll, as well as in the Comoros and Mayotte.[1][3]
Habitat
This spider has a remarkable ecological association with carnivorous pitcher plants of the genus Nepenthes. Unlike some other spider species that live inside the pitchers themselves, A. decaryi constructs its webs on the exterior of the plants, particularly utilizing the upper rim and external surfaces of the pitchers as anchor points for its web. The spider positions itself to take advantage of small flying insects, particularly Diptera, that are attracted to the pitcher plants.[2]