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W. RAE SHERRIFFS
The species aemula has the abdomen longer than wide, oval without lateral lobes and caudal processes. The dorsal pattern consists of transverse black lines with broader pale bands intervening.
The webs of the different species of Argiope are orbs without a con- ducting thread.
The female always remains at the centre resting on a characteristic white stabilimentum which is X-shaped. The long legs of the spider stretch out with one pair to each arm of the X. Pocock considers that the white ribbons of the stabilimentum conceal the spider's limbs from Aies and from marauding wasps. It seems to me, however, that they serve rather as a background which shows up the spider's legs. The white silk may attract flies but the ribbons are essentially a support for the spider's body. That the spider is quite easily seen thus resting during the day by an enemy is proved by their being picked off their web by birds. In Madras in my own compound I have watched a Mynah (Acridotheres tristis) an Indian starling, deliberately walk up to the web in full daylight and find a juicy mouthful in the unfortunate owner. The spider in this case was the common South Indian species anasuja, Thor.
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W.R.S
The South Indian Argiope anasuja to show the female spider dorsally on her web with
a fly, trussed up in silk, in her jaws. She rests head downwards with the legs in the characteristic X position ending in the stabilimentum. This figure is a composite drawing from original photographs.
The Hong Kong Naturalist.
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