Dolomedes triton
Encyclopedia
The six-spotted fishing spider, Dolomedes triton, is an arachnid
from the nursery web spider family Pisauridae. This species is from the genus Dolomedes
, the fishing spiders. This species of fishing spider is named after the mythological Greek god Triton
who is the messenger of the big sea and the son of Poseidon
. These spiders can be seen scampering along the water’s surface when a person walks by in which they are often referred to as dock spiders because they are often witnessed as they quickly vanish through the cracks of a boat dock.
. The abdomen has many light colored spots and also has light colored lines running down the sides of the abdomen. When this species is seen from below, there are six dark spots present on the bottom of the cephalothorax in which the common name is derived. Like many spiders, this species shows sexual dimorphism
. The female is larger than the male. The female is about 60 millimetres (2.4 in) long including the legs; her body length is 15 millimetre and the male's body is 9 millimetre long. The juvenile spiders look similar to adults but are smaller and they go through a series of molts within their lifetime to grow and reach adult size.
and can be found throughout the contiguous United States
and southern Canada
, more common east of the Rocky Mountains
and Great Plains
. They can also be found in Central America
and South America
. They are semi-aquatic and live in wetland habitats such as ponds, lake shores, and they can also inhabit slow-moving streams. They can be found among vegetation, rocks and other structures near the water such as boat docks. They often dive underwater and grab onto a plant when frightened.
which hunts during the day as it waits patiently for hours until depending on whether it is stimulated by prey. They are often seen with their legs sprawled out by the water while they are waiting for prey. These spiders eat other invertebrates, tadpoles and occasionally small fish. They hunt by the water’s surface in which they can walk on water and dive under up to 18 cm (7.1 in) to capture prey. Their good vision contributes to their success when diving to capture prey. They capture underwater prey as well as prey that fall on the water's surface or travels on water such as water striders.
does occur. After mating, the spherical egg sac is then produced. Before hatching, the female builds a "nursery web" over vegetation and guards it. The egg sac is placed among the leaves to help keep it concealed. After the offspring have hatched, they sit under her protection in the web until they are ready to disperse into the outside world. The offspring leave the web about a week after they hatch.
Arachnid
Arachnids are a class of joint-legged invertebrate animals in the subphylum Chelicerata. All arachnids have eight legs, although in some species the front pair may convert to a sensory function. The term is derived from the Greek words , meaning "spider".Almost all extant arachnids are terrestrial...
from the nursery web spider family Pisauridae. This species is from the genus Dolomedes
Dolomedes
Dolomedes 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 semi-aquatic, with the exception of the tree-dwelling D. albineus of the southwestern United States...
, the fishing spiders. This species of fishing spider is named after the mythological Greek god Triton
Triton (mythology)
Triton is a mythological Greek god, the messenger of the big sea. He is the son of Poseidon, god of the sea, and Amphitrite, goddess of the sea, whose herald he is...
who is the messenger of the big sea and the son of Poseidon
Poseidon
Poseidon was the god of the sea, and, as "Earth-Shaker," of the earthquakes in Greek mythology. The name of the sea-god Nethuns in Etruscan was adopted in Latin for Neptune in Roman mythology: both were sea gods analogous to Poseidon...
. These spiders can be seen scampering along the water’s surface when a person walks by in which they are often referred to as dock spiders because they are often witnessed as they quickly vanish through the cracks of a boat dock.
Description
This spider can be identified by its large size and distinctive markings. They have eight eyes with good vision and the body is grey to brown. They have a white to a pale cream colored stripe running down each side of the cephalothoraxCephalothorax
The cephalothorax is a tagma of various arthropods, comprising the head and the thorax fused together, as distinct from the abdomen behind. The word cephalothorax is derived from the Greek words for head and thorax...
. The abdomen has many light colored spots and also has light colored lines running down the sides of the abdomen. When this species is seen from below, there are six dark spots present on the bottom of the cephalothorax in which the common name is derived. Like many spiders, this species shows sexual dimorphism
Sexual dimorphism
Sexual dimorphism is a phenotypic difference between males and females of the same species. Examples of such differences include differences in morphology, ornamentation, and behavior.-Examples:-Ornamentation / coloration:...
. The female is larger than the male. The female is about 60 millimetres (2.4 in) long including the legs; her body length is 15 millimetre and the male's body is 9 millimetre long. The juvenile spiders look similar to adults but are smaller and they go through a series of molts within their lifetime to grow and reach adult size.
Distribution and habitat
These spiders are native to the Western HemisphereWestern Hemisphere
The Western Hemisphere or western hemisphere is mainly used as a geographical term for the half of the Earth that lies west of the Prime Meridian and east of the Antimeridian , the other half being called the Eastern Hemisphere.In this sense, the western hemisphere consists of the western portions...
and can be found throughout the contiguous United States
Contiguous United States
The contiguous United States are the 48 U.S. states on the continent of North America that are south of Canada and north of Mexico, plus the District of Columbia....
and southern Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, more common east of the Rocky Mountains
Rocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountains are a major mountain range in western North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch more than from the northernmost part of British Columbia, in western Canada, to New Mexico, in the southwestern United States...
and Great Plains
Great Plains
The Great Plains are a broad expanse of flat land, much of it covered in prairie, steppe and grassland, which lies west of the Mississippi River and east of the Rocky Mountains in the United States and Canada. This area covers parts of the U.S...
. They can also be found in Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
and South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
. They are semi-aquatic and live in wetland habitats such as ponds, lake shores, and they can also inhabit slow-moving streams. They can be found among vegetation, rocks and other structures near the water such as boat docks. They often dive underwater and grab onto a plant when frightened.
Behavior and diet
This species is diurnalDiurnal
Diurnal may refer to:* Diurnal cycle, any pattern that recurs daily** Diurnality, the behavior of animals and plants that are active in the daytime* Diurnal motion, the apparent motion of stars around the Earth...
which hunts during the day as it waits patiently for hours until depending on whether it is stimulated by prey. They are often seen with their legs sprawled out by the water while they are waiting for prey. These spiders eat other invertebrates, tadpoles and occasionally small fish. They hunt by the water’s surface in which they can walk on water and dive under up to 18 cm (7.1 in) to capture prey. Their good vision contributes to their success when diving to capture prey. They capture underwater prey as well as prey that fall on the water's surface or travels on water such as water striders.
Reproduction
Egg production can happen anytime between June to September and sometimes in April but this is not often. Breeding takes place when the male does his courtship ritual. This can be the end of the male's life because cannibalismCannibalism
Cannibalism is the act or practice of humans eating the flesh of other human beings. It is also called anthropophagy...
does occur. After mating, the spherical egg sac is then produced. Before hatching, the female builds a "nursery web" over vegetation and guards it. The egg sac is placed among the leaves to help keep it concealed. After the offspring have hatched, they sit under her protection in the web until they are ready to disperse into the outside world. The offspring leave the web about a week after they hatch.