Whirling-behavior
Guides
Smeringopus
cellar spiders
Smeringopus is a genus of cellar spiders (family Pholcidae) comprising 55 species, making it the most species-rich pholcid genus in Africa. First described by Eugène Simon in 1890, the genus is largely restricted to central, southern, and eastern Africa, though some species occur in South America, Asia, Australia, and Pacific Islands. Members include some of the largest and most conspicuous pholcid spiders in their range. The genus is divided into twelve operational species groups based on morphological and geographic patterns. Smeringopus is the sister taxon to the western and central African genus Smeringopina.
Smeringopus pallidus
Pale Daddy-Long-Leg, Pale Cellar Spider
Smeringopus pallidus is a cosmopolitan cellar spider (family Pholcidae) known for its distinctive pale coloration and extremely long, slender legs. The species builds irregular, three-dimensional cobwebs in sheltered locations and exhibits specialized anti-predator defenses including rapid leg waving, leg autotomy with continued movement of detached legs as visual distraction, and thanatosis (death feigning). Originally described from Africa, it has been introduced to tropical and subtropical regions worldwide including South America, the Caribbean, Sri Lanka, Southeast Asia, Australia, and Pacific islands. The species reaches body lengths up to 7 mm with females larger than males, and is characterized by purple spots along the dorsal abdomen and a dark ventral sternal stripe.