| The Hersiliidae is a small family of flat, highly
cryptic, medium-sized spiders, which mostly live
on tree trunks or rocky crags. They can easily be
recognized by the flattened body, raised eye
region, the extremely long posterior spinnerets, and the long legs stretched out
radically on tree bark or lichen-covered crags. The Hersiliidae, commonly called long-spin or two tailed
spiders, is a smaller family comprising 7
genera and 148 species worldwide of which 66
species of 4 genera are known from the Oriental
Region (Baehr and Baehr 1993, Platnick 2005).
The genus Hersilia, comprised of about 58 species
worldwide, occurs mainly in the Ethiopian,
Oriental, and Australian Regions.
Genus Promurricia containing
only 1 species, P. depressa Baehr et
Baehr, 1993, is endemic to Sri Lanka (Ceylon);
Genus Murricia containing about 3 species occurs in
India, Sri Lanka, and Singapore; and
Genus Neotama
containing 4 species occurs in India, Sri Lanka,
and Indonesia (Sumatra and Java) (Baehr and
Baehr 1993, Platnick 1997 2005).
Hersilia is usually found in trees.
The Hersiliidae is a family of spiders noted for their elongated posterior
lateral spinnerets which can be as long as the abdomen in long-spinnered
bark spiders and less in rock living species.
Hersilia is a diurnal, arboreal genus which can sometimes be found on
nearby rocks. They do not spin webs or construct retreats and can often be
spotted only by the reflection of the sun on their dragline silk threads.
They capture prey by swaying their long spinnerets over the
victim and encircling it wrapping more silk over it. The prey is then
bitten and consumed on the spot. The egg sac is wrapped in silk with bits
of bark debris attached to aid camouflage.
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