Family: Tetragnathidae
Genus: Leucauge
Species : Leucauge sabahan

Leucauge sabahan
沙巴銀鱗蛛
 

BOMBALAI 16-9-2012 SUN 12:30PM
 

In 2012 when this spider was first found, the actual species name of this spider was uncertain. So a temporary coded as sp BOMBALAI because it was found in BOMBALAI. Now, 2016, it was identified as a new found species Leucauge sabahan.

The first two pairs of legs are longest, and the 3rd pair the shortest.
This female legs are typically green but with NO dark rings at the joints as in others of the same family.

Each tarsus (tip of leg) has 3 claws.

The carapace is yellowish-green with a thin, dark green or black stripe down the center and also along the sides.

The abdomen is oval. The front end of the abdomen is rounded and projects up and over the cephalothorax.

Detail on Male is unavailable.

This family of spiders are found in low bushes and lower portions of trees in relatively moist, wooded areas. They prefer a moisture-rich environment. Bombalai, the forest we found this spider is a protected rain forest.
 

To escape from being photographed, this female tried to use ballooning to "Fly" away. When shooting silks into the wind, this female performed an amazing acrobatic act I never photographed or thought of before - a 135 degree of lifting the abdomen from horizontal 0 degree.

Ballooning (kiting) is a behavior in which spiders use air-borne dispersal to move between locations.
 

This is because the median eyes are grouped together almost in a trapezoid shape.

The lateral eyes are some distance away.

Six parasitic eggs were on its Carapace.

This genus of spiders have two rows of long, slender curved hairs on the femurs of the fourth leg.

All legs are covered in spines and hairs, but the most noticeable characteristic is the long brush of trichobothria (special sensory hairs) on the femurs of the 4th pair of legs (last pair). These two rows of "brushes" look very much like a pair of fake eyelashes.

This female was found remain still on a tree trunk in Bukit Bombalai. Obviously being weaken by parasitic insects.

I have taken images of  hundred of spiders. This is the first and only know case of parasitic eggs found on a spider.

Six parasitic  eggs were on its Carapace.  These egg shells were broken open indicating the parasitic insects were fully hatched and left.

What parasitic insects that laid eggs on this spider is uncertain. But some species of warps are know to be parasitic to spiders.

Carapace = Carapace is a protective cover over the cephalothorax.
Cephalothorax or prosoma = A fused head and thorax.
 

Leucauge blanda
 

30-6-2009 Bukit Gemok 

Leucauge magnifica
 

Female 13-15mm

28-9-2008 Semarak

Leucauge magnifica

Male

23-8-2009  BOMBALAI