Phoroncidia sextuberculata

Fact Box Species: Phoroncidia sextuberculata (as shown by R Mascord and as suggested by Greg Anderson. Note that the World Spider Catalog in July 2017 lists only P. sextuberculata and P. rotunda as Australian Phoroncidia species but the second row of images below show specimens that may also be P. sextuberculata variants or new species) Family: Theridiidae Body length: female: 4 mm male: about 2.5 mm Habitat: This species is said to sit motionless during the day but to catch insects in the evenings by waiting at the end of a single thread of sticky silk Toxicity: This spider is probably much too small to cause illness in humans and is not aggressive anyway

Two views Underneath female Another view A juvenile male Another view Another view A juvenile male

Phoroncidia sextuberculata females build a small spherical egg sac which is suspended at the end of a stout cord of silk. This resembles the egg sac of the entirely unrelated spider Tamopsis.

Known range: Recorded only as being in parts of Queensland.

Spider(s) with a very similar appearance: Other Phoroncidia species and a number of small araneid species, such as Poltys illepidus.