Oecobius annulipes

Lucas, 1846

Ringed Wall Spider

Oecobius annulipes is a small wall-dwelling spider in the Oecobiidae, native to Northern Africa and introduced to Brazil, St. Helena, and Pacific Islands. This has been studied extensively for its -sensitive and web-building . are active primarily from April to early September, with complex strategies that vary based on photoperiod conditions. The species constructs characteristic flat, tangled webs on walls and structures, and has been observed capturing prey through specialized web-use behavior.

Oecobius annulipes by Mike. Used under a CC BY-SA 3.0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Oecobius annulipes: /iːˈkoʊbiəs əˈnjʊlaɪpiːz/

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Images

Habitat

Found on walls and vertical surfaces of structures; indoor well-documented. Native range in Northern Africa; introduced populations established in Brazil, St. Helena, and Pacific Islands.

Distribution

Native to Northern Africa. Introduced to Brazil, St. Helena, and Pacific Islands.

Seasonality

appear from April to early September. Females collected April to early September reproduce the same season; females collected after mid-September overwinter and reproduce the following spring.

Life Cycle

Nymphs develop through multiple instars. Under natural and long ( 16:8), nymphs overwinter at the last instar or after attaining adulthood. Under short photoperiod (LD 10:14), instar varies individually but spring timing remains similar. Females produce 1-6 -sacs per lifetime. Excessive overlap occurs in .

Behavior

Constructs flat, tangled webs on walls and vertical surfaces. Web construction and prey capture methods have been observed and described in detail. Mating behavior has been documented. affects nymphal development timing: long photoperiods result in consistent stage, while short photoperiods cause variable overwintering instar but consistent spring timing.

More Details

Phylogenetic relationships

Morphological studies of mouthparts and spinning apparatus show close conformity with Uroctea durandi, suggesting a phylogenetic relationship between Oecobiidae and Urocteidae.