Kingdom Animalia Class Arachnida Suborder Mesothelae Scientific name Liphistius batuensis | Phylum Arthropoda Order Araneae Family Liphistiidae Rank Species | |
People also search for Liphistius, Liphistius malayanus | ||
Liphistius batuensis is a species of trapdoor spider from Malaysia. It is thought to be restricted to the Batu Caves, near Kuala Lumpur. It was first collected by H. C. Abraham in 1923, and has been described as a living fossil.
Adults build a nest which is 40–50 millimetres (1.6–2.0 in) long with an opening some 22 millimetres (0.9 in) wide, from which six to ten strands of silk radiate out 12.5–15 centimetres (5–6 in) in a semicircle. The movement of an insect against these threads is detected by the spider which then rushes out and captures the insect. Spiderlings build smaller nests, only 10 millimetres (0.4 in) across, and seem to abandon these during development to build a bigger nest; intermediate sizes of nest are not seen.
Spiders of all ages may fall prey to cave-dwelling centipedes.