Top 10 Coolest Spiders
Diving Bell Spider
- Size: 0.3-0.6 inches (8-15 mm) (body length)
- Distribution: Europe, Asia
- Habitat: Freshwater
- Order: Araneae
- Family: Cybaeidae
- Scientific name: Argyroneta aquatica
- Dangerous for humans: No
Hunting Strategy
"Gone divin'"
The diving bell spider is the only spider that lives under water. How do they manage to not drown? They have a similar method to scuba divers. They always have an air supply, but they don’t carry a metal bottle or paddle around in flippers. When they need air, they stretch their abdomen out of the water and then pull it straight back under the surface.
Tiny air bubbles get stuck to the hairs on their abdomen. The spider brings these to its homemade diving bell under water to stock up its air supply. It only rarely spends time out of the water.
It’s not just oxygen that it keeps in its diving bell. It relaxes, eats and hatches its young here. But they are at risk of extinction because of poor water quality and are already on the IUCN’s red list of “critically endangered” animals.
- Table of Contents:
- 0. Introduction
- 1. Trapdoor Spider
- 2. Ant-Mimicking Jumping Spider
- 3. Net-Casting Spider
- 4. Spitting Spider
- 5. Theridion nigroannulatumi
- 6. Bagheera Kiplingi
- 7. Bolas Spider
- 8. Diving Bell Spider
- 9. Evarcha culicivora
- 10. Portia
