joint-legged invertebrate animals. Arachnids are named after the mythological figure Arachne. They are chiefly terrestrial arthropods, comprising some 65,000 to 73,000 named species including spiders, scorpions, harvestmen, ticks, and mites. Arachnids may be easily distinguished from insects by the fact that arachnids have eight legs whereas insects have six.
invertebrate animals that produce silk, and have eight legs and no wings
Non-venomous spiders. Have a special adaptation that enables them to produce a feathery, fuzzy silk called cribellate (or hackled) silk. Do not use an adhesive on their orb webs, but rather the very fine fibers on each strand of silk tends to ensnare prey. Hackled orbweaver webs often have a stabilimentum or zig-zag pattern through the center.
Octonoba varians
Honghegu 紅河谷 walk 2006/5/20
elongated orb web weaver spiders with long legs and chelicerae, weaving small orb webs with an open hub and few, wide-set radii and spirals, no signal line and no retreat.
Golden Orb Web spiders are commonly found in primary and secondary forests and gardens. Females are larger and grow to a body size of 30-50mm, with males growing to 5–6 mm. Their web is vertical with a fine irregular mesh and not symmetrical. The hub is usually nearer the top. Rather than egg sacks being hung in the web, a pit is dug which is then covered with plant debris or soil. Fudekeng 福德坑, 2007/8/2
Dragonflies at rest hold their wings out, either horizontally or slightly down and forward. The eyes on a dragonfly are nearly touching.
Clubtail dragonflies live in streams particularly in open forest. They are medium to large in size, with body length 40-70mm. They can be easily recognized by their smaller and widely separated eyes. They are green or yellow in color with black strips. The end of abdomen is enlarged, hence their common name clubtails.
Heliogomphus retroflexus
Only species of the gomphid genus in Taiwan - all green eyes and black body with green and yellow markings. This is a male, identified by the white on the tips of the apendages.
Honghegu 紅河谷 walk 2006/5/20
Damselflies have large multifaceted eyes, two pairs of strong transparent wings, and an elongated body. Dragonflies typically eat mosquitoes, midges and other small insects like flies, bees, and butterflies. They are usually found around lakes, ponds, streams, and wetlands because their larvae, known as "nymphs", are aquatic.
Matrona cyanoptera Hamalainen & Yeh, 2000
Hike above New Garden City 花園新城
common endemic; female
2006/5/5
Tenodera aridifolia
Hike above New Garden City 花園新城
seemed to be trapped on a stone in the Lanxi 蘭溪 stream 2006/2/12
Swallowtail butterflies are large, colorful butterflies including 550 species, mostly found in the tropics on all continents except Antarctica.
Papilio demoleus
Home roof-top garden, New Garden City 花園新城 2007/7/29
A family of over 5000 species of typically large butterflies, such as the emperor, admirals, tortoiseshells and fritillaries, which have very colourful wings. The underwings are dull and often look like dead leaves, which produces a cryptic effect that helps the butterfly disappear into its surroundings. The front two legs are small, so these butterflies are effectively four-legged. The caterpillars are hairy or spiky, and the chrysalids have shiny spots.
Symbrenthia lilaea formosanus
Hike above New Garden City 花園新城 2006/2/12
Generally seen from May to July in low to mid-elevation mountain areas. Noted for its Hundred Pacer design on the inside of its wings often used by the Paiwan and Rukai.
Fushan 福山 river hike 2006/6/25
Mycalesis francisca formosana Fruhstorfer
(Satyrinae 眼蝶亞科蛇目蝶, 蛺蝶科)
Hike above New Garden City 花園新城 2006/5/5
One of the most widespread of all butterflies, found on every continent. Known in North America as the Cosmopolite. Migrates to colder climate in the Spring were offspring die in the fall. Caterpillars feed on thistles, while adults drink nectar from flowers which can include thistles and plants like the Buddleia.
Hike above New Garden City 花園新城 2006/5/5
Cyrestis thyodamas formosana Fruhstorfer
Hike above New Garden City 花園新城 2006/5/6
Family of over 1000 day-flying generally tropical moths with a slow fluttering flight, and rather clubbed antennae. They generally have a metallic sheen and often prominent spots of red or yellow. The bright colors are a warning to predators that the moths are distasteful - they contain hydrogen cyanide throughout all stages of their life-cycle which they manufacture. Larvae are stout and may be flattened. Most feed on herbaceous plants, although some are vine or tree feeders. A fleshy extension of the thorax covers the head.
山龍眼螢斑蛾, 雙星錦斑蛾
Erasmia pulchella, (Satsuma Nishiki)
Hike south from Fushan 福山 2006/9/2