Aculepeira Marmorea
This large species of spider is commonly and spontaneously diffuse in most of the elevated terrains covered by woodlands, especially in the hilly area called Fjell Sorg.
Anatomy & Morphology
Abdomen has a rather pointed shape with the rear extending beyond the spinnerets. The colour is brown to red with a dark fringed, greenish oak leaf-shaped figure with marble vein, from which the name Marmorea. This fringing is sometimes quite broad. The sides are mottled with dark brown and yellow. The carapace is reddish brown with white-grey hair. Legs and palps are clearly light-dark annulated.
Sexual dimorphism
Similarly to a lot of other spiders this species has a significant difference in size between male and female. Males are more or less the size of a large cat, while the females are about one meter tall with legs as thick as a human arm. The biggest females can have a carapace with a diameter of one-hundred and eighty centimeters. The markings are the same in both sexes, but females' venom is much stronger.
Reproduction and courtship ritual
Female of A. Marmorea are strongly territorial and when is the time to mate will guard the center of their web, the male will enter from the periphery and dance around the female until she shows some acceptance. During mating, cannibalism is rather frequent and a lot of males that don't get refused by a female are attacked and devoured by the partner. Sometimes they are devoured after mating too, it is very rare for a male to survive more than two reproductive seasons.
Habitat
This spider lives in the woody hills in various central areas of Phaldorya, preferring oak woods where their colour and marking consent them an effective mimetism, useful to escape in case of danger. They produce large circular webs called orbs, that extend usually between two or more trees starting from the higher branches and sometimes reaching the ground. They prey mostly birds that get trapped in their sticky web that, unless wet, is nearly invisible; after getting trapped the spider will approach and bite the prey, encapsulating them in more weaving material. They will prey larger creatures if they have a chance; they have a natural predator in trolls that aren't affected by their venom.
Venom
The venom of A. Marmorea is a strong neurotoxin that comprises several alcaloids. The most important causes a flaccid paralysis, rarely sufficient to cause death by asphyxia but sufficient to allow the spider to immobilize the prey without reaction. The venom contains as well another alcaloid that affects the brain with pleasant sensations and allucinations. It has been recently discovered that their venom is a possible cure for Lycanthropy, and scholars are trying to set-up a farming center and stabilize an antidote. Unfortunately, at the moment has not yet been possible to purify the extract enough to remove completely the undesired effects, furthermore, multiple dosings of the extract often cause anaphylaxis with lethal consequences.
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