Black Scorpion-tailed Spider
Although the species name is derived from "melan-", the Greek root word for "black", the colouration is variegated with a background that can range from dull yellow to dark brown. There are a pair of white longitudinal lines running from the two shoulder horns towards the "tail". The carapace is covered with fine hair, with a dark median longitudinal line and some variegated patterns on both sides.
| Length | ♀ 11–17 mm; ♂ 2 mm |
| Habitat | Jungle fringes. |
| Biology | The olive stone-shaped egg sacs are suspended in the web and guarded by the mother. |
| Type Locality | "Malaisie" |
| Distribution | Widespread, including Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia (Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, Papua), Laos, China, India, Japan |
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Chelicerata (Chelicerates)
Class Arachnida (Arachnids)
Order Araneae (Spiders)
Suborder Araneomorphae (Typical Spiders)
Holotype
Muséum national d'histoire naturelle (MNHN), Paris, France; ♀ (possibly in Paris) (Castanheira et al., 2019c)
Holotype
; ♀ (depository unknown) of Arachnura digitata (Castanheira et al., 2019c)
Arachnoura melanura (Original description ♀)
Arachnura digitata (Original description ♀)
Arachnura melanura (♀, Synonym of Arachnura digitata)
Simon, 1895a Histoire naturelle des araignées. Deuxième édition, tome premier: 776, f. 847 doi:10.5962/bhl.title.51973
Arachnura melanura (♀)
Chrysanthus, 1961b Spiders from south New Guinea IV: 203, f. 39-41, 68
Arachnura melanura (♀, D♂)
Tanikawa, 1991a New record of Arachnura melanura Simon, 1867 (Araneae: Araneidae), from Japan, with the first description of the male: 12, f. 1-6 doi:10.2476/asjaa.40.11
Arachnura melanura (♀)
Yin et al., 1997d Fauna Sinica: Arachnida: Araneae: Araneidae: 122, f. 46a-d
Arachnura melanura (♀)
Song, Zhu & Chen, 1999 The spiders of China: 236, f. 134F-G, 146J
Arachnura melanura (♂♀)
Tanikawa, 2007c An identification guide to the Japanese spiders of the families Araneidae, Nephilidae and Tetragnathidae: 42, f. 4-5, 425-427
Arachnura melanura (♂♀)
Tanikawa, 2009 Hersiliidae: 423, f. 15-16
Arachnura melanura (♀)
Yin et al., 2012 Fauna Hunan: Araneae in Hunan, China: 594, f. 286a-d
Arachnura melanura (♀)
Castanheira et al., 2019c The scorpion-tailed orb-weaving spiders (Araneae, Araneidae, Arachnura) in Australia and New Zealand: 164, f. 9A-E doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4706.1.6
Arachnura melanura (♀)
Sen & Sureshan, 2020 Rediscovery of the scorpion tailed orb-weaver, Arachnura melanura Simon 1867 (Araneae: Araneidae) from India: 286, f. 1-5 doi:10.26515/rzsi/v120/i3/2020/150690
Widespread, including Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia (Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, Papua), Laos, China, India, Japan