Asian Mirror Spider
As in other Thwaitesia, the abdomen is elevated and pointed dorsally and posteriorly, and is covered with characteristic mirror-like plates. The carapace has a polished texture. The ocular area is slightly raised.
This species may be identical with, or closely related to Thwaitesia margaritifera O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1881, first described from Sri Lanka. In the male, the carapace has a wedge-shaped black area in front and a pair of black stripes on the sides; the abdomen is marked by a black posterior tip and a red-and-black dorsal patch of variable shape. The female may be recognised by a longitudinal black streak on the carapace and a longitudinal red streak on the anterior ridge of the dorsum.
| Length | ♀ 4–6 mm; ♂ 3 mm |
| Distribution | Singapore, Brunei, Malaysia (Pahang). |
| Habitat | Foliage in primary and secondary forests. |
| Biology | They build a simplified web with lines connected in the form of the letter H between leaves. Thwaitesia can change their colours in response to the external environment. The glistening patches contract when the spider is disturbed, and expand when it is at rest. |
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Chelicerata (Chelicerates)
Class Arachnida (Arachnids)
Order Araneae (Spiders)
Suborder Araneomorphae (Typical Spiders)
Singapore, Brunei, Malaysia (Pahang).