Swift Ground Spider
Scientific Name: Supunna picta
Other Common Names: Spotted Ground Swift Spider, Wasp-mimicking Spider
Species documented in 1873 by L. Koch.
Description
As the
name suggests, this spider is reported to be one of the fastest in Australia. It moves in short
bursts with a darting type motion.
This spider has brilliant white markings
across its body, with one row of white dashed spots on the abdomen. The forelegs are reddish to
brownish in colour, which can help this spider mimick a wasp's antenna.
Reproduction/Lifecycle
Habitat
The Swift
Ground Spider is a vagrant that doesn't build a web.
Diet
Ground-dwelling insects/spiders.
Miscellaneous
Also called a wasp-mimicking spider, as it is reported to
wave its forelegs in the air whilst in motion, to mimick the two antennas of a wasp.
Found in:
QLD,TAS,VIC,
References/Bibliography:
CSIRO, 2004. Supunna picta, CSIRO Entomology. Available from:
<http://www.ento.csiro.au/aicn/name_s/b_3848.htm> [Accessed 29th January 2007]
Atkinson, Ron. 2002. The Find-a-spider Guide: Supunna picta, University of
Southern Queensland. Available from: <http://www.usq.edu.au/spider/find/spiders/509.htm>
[Accessed 29th January 2007]
