Sartia spider

The sartia spider is a very common spider that lives in dark environments, usually underground. This spider is a web spinner and like others of this type, it will read movements on its web to travel to potential prey and attempt to paralyse it.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Unlike most other species of spiders, sartia spiders of different gender are relatively the same size, males and females averaging between 25 to 35 millimetres long (0.98 to 1.38 in) and can reach 110 mm (4.33 in) when their legs are fully spread. They have a bulbous abdomen and powerful mandibles. Sartia spiders vary in colour from greys and browns, to black. Most will have patterns of differing shades across their abdomen and stripes on their legs. Their colouration is designed to allow the spiders to blend more easily in their natual cave habitats.

Genetics and Reproduction

Females sartia spiders will usually only enter their fertile cycles three time in their lives though it could be at any time of the year. Fertile females will build a series of cocoons on their webs, in which they will lay some eggs. They will then emit a type of pheromone that will attract males. The males will contend to reach the cocoon first and fertilise the first batch of eggs. While the males complete this, the female will be busy laying another batch of eggs. The females usually lay five to ten cocoons. The spiderlings will hatch after three to five weeks later. The spiderlings will remain on the web for two weeks during which the adult spiders will feed the newly-hatched. After those two weeks however the spiderlings leave the web and any who might stay will be run the risk of being preyed upon by the adults.

Additional Information

Uses, Products & Exploitation

The sortia spiders are known to produce some of the strongest webs in the animal kingdom. This is especially true of the web cocoon they create to house their eggs. Those cocoons are harvested and treated to create sortia silk. When properly crafted, sortia silk is fire resistant and water repellant.