Artema atlanta

Walckenaer, 1837

giant daddy-long-legs spider, Giant Cellar Spider

Artema atlanta is a large cellar and the largest known pholcid, with a body length of 8–11 mm. It has a pantropical distribution and has been to temperate regions including North America and Europe. The is commonly known as the giant daddy-long-legs spider. It constructs tangled webs in dark, sheltered locations and exhibits characteristic pholcid of rapid, vibrating movement when disturbed.

Artema atlanta by (c)
Lucinda Gibson, Museum Victoria, some rights reserved (CC BY). Used under a CC-BY license.

Artema atlanta by Lucinda Gibson, Museum Victoria. Used under a CC BY 3.0 au license.

Artema atlanta 138112770 by Vihansith Kulatunga. Used under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Artema atlanta: //ɑːrˈtiːmə ətˈlæntə//

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Identification

Distinguished from other pholcids by its substantially larger body size (8–11 mm versus typically 2–5 mm for most cellar ). The extremely long first pair of legs (6.5× body length) combined with the globose, striped separates it from other large-legged spiders such as (), which lack the constricted waist between and abdomen. The dark vertical abdominal stripes and male structure provide additional diagnostic characters.

Images

Appearance

Body length 8–11 mm in both sexes, making it the largest pholcid . globose with dark vertical extending from to surface. First pair of legs roughly 6.5 times body length, producing the characteristic extremely long-legged appearance. Males possess conical enlarged with a distinct . bear hairs arranged in an S-shaped pattern. Epigynal plate with alternating dark and transparent spots and an indented margin.

Habitat

Occupies dark, sheltered microhabitats including old houses, buildings, feed cattle stores, and similar anthropogenic structures. In tropical regions, found in natural caves and rock crevices. Prefers undisturbed, humid locations with minimal light exposure.

Distribution

Pantropical distribution spanning tropical Asia, Africa, and the Americas. Recorded from Seychelles, India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Brazil, Cuba, Mauritius, Moluccas, and North Africa/Middle East. to North America (southern Arizona, southeastern California), Belgium, Britain, Greece, Turkey, China, Japan, Taiwan, Australia, and Pacific Islands. First recorded from Iraq (Basrah governorate) in 2017–2018.

Diet

Laboratory observations indicate acceptance of various as . Natural feeding habits presumed similar to other pholcids, involving capture of small in tangled webs, though specific prey records from wild are not documented in available sources.

Life Cycle

Females produce spherical sacs approximately 8 mm in diameter containing approximately 66 eggs. Embryonic development requires 25–30 days at laboratory temperatures, with hatching rates of 80–100%. Temperature positively correlates with hatching rate and negatively with development duration. Newly hatched spiderlings measure 1.2 mm in total length. Growth proceeds at approximately 0.1 mm per week, reaching 2 mm total length by week 10. Complete duration and number of not documented.

Behavior

Exhibits rapid, vibrating movement of body and legs when disturbed—a characteristic defensive of pholcid . Constructs irregular, tangled webs in sheltered locations. activity pattern presumed based on preference and -level traits, though direct observation not documented.

Human Relevance

Occasional presence in buildings and stored goods; two specimens documented in shipping container arriving in England in 2004. Not known to pose medical significance. Presence in human structures largely unnoticed due to secretive habits.

Similar Taxa

Pholcus phalangioidesShares Pholcidae and long-legged appearance, but substantially smaller (body length ~7 mm versus 8–11 mm) with different abdominal patterning.
Opiliones (harvestmen)Superficially similar extremely long legs, but lack the constricted (waist) between and , have body regions, and are of a separate .

More Details

Laboratory rearing

Successfully maintained in laboratory conditions on diets of various ; temperature manipulation affects embryonic development rate and hatching success.

Taxonomic note

First described from Brazil in 1837, though presumed to Old World tropics based on current distribution patterns.