THE UNUSUAL WEB OF SPILASMA TUBULOFA CIENS, 
WITH TAXONOMIC NOTES ON THE SPECIES 
(ARANEAE: ARANEIDAE)* 
By Diomedes Quintero, Jr. 
Museum of Comparative Zoology, 
Harvard University, Cambridge MA 02138 
During December 1972 I had the opportunity to visit French 
Guiana to study some of its little known amblypygid fauna. While 
searching for amblypygids I came across the unusual web of an 
araneid, Spilasma tubulofaciens , and was able to make some ob- 
servations in the field. 
I would like to acknowledge the gracious help and encouragement 
given by Dr. Herbert W. Levi, who also provided the laboratory 
facilities to complete this work. I would like also to thank Dr. J. J. 
de Granville for his hospitality and guidance in Cayenne, for the 
use of orstom facilities in Saul, and for many other favors. 
Web of Spilasma tubulofaciens 
Figures 6-7 
Spilasma tubulofaciens females were found in a forest patch clear- 
ing occupied with mixed growth of shrubs (mainly Rubiaceae and 
Leguminoseae), 2-3 m from the muddy banks of Crique Limonade, 
French Guiana. The suspension lines of the web were attached 
between leaves of a rubiaceous shrub, about 1 .2-1.4 m from the 
ground. In the middle they inserted at the apex of the conical re- 
treat. The snare region was below, hanging obliquely, and had 16 
radii and more than 28 turns, with no distinct frame threads. It 
showed numerous torn spaces and repairs, giving a general appear- 
ance of long use and disorganization. No major changes were intro- 
duced by the spiders during the night before they were collected next 
morning. The suspension lines were quite taut, forming nearly a 
straight horizontal line (Fig. 6). The outer surface of the conical 
retreat was rough, made up of diverse materials, predominantly re- 
mains of insect prey (small coleoptera, flies, etc.) and vegetable mat- 
ter (protonema of mosses, small bark fragments, vegetable debris). 
This debris was firmly fixed to the surface by underlying, fine threads 
of silk. The inside of the retreat was smooth, lined with silk. The 
* Manuscript received by the editor June 2, 1974, 
307 
