Kingdom Animalia Class Arachnida Family Desidae Rank Species | Phylum Arthropoda Order Araneae Genus Desis | |
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The intertidal spider, Desis marina is a spider species found in New Zealand, New Caledonia, and the Chatham Islands.
Contents
It was first described by James Hector in 1878.
Description
Desis marina is 8–10 mm long, with a brown carapace and a light gray abdomen. Its chelicerae are proportionally large. They are notable for their complex branched tracheal systems and their adaptations to a marine environment.
Distribution and habitat
It is found in beach tidal zones, between low and high tide levels. They build silk retreats in seashells, tubeworm burrows, and bull kelp holdfasts. In these environments, the spiders and their silk retreats are sometimes submerged in sea water. Forster & Forster note that this spider's respiratory rate is slower than in similar land spiders. This may be an adaptation for spending long periods under water. They emerge and feed during low tide, eating amphipods, marine isopods, and other small invertebrates.