About Nephilingis cruentata (Fabricius, 1775)
This species, Nephilingis cruentata, shows strong sexual size dimorphism: adult females reach around 24 mm in body length, while adult males are approximately 4 mm long. The legs can be uniformly dark red or brown, or have alternating light and dark ringed patterning called annulation. N. cruentata is naturally distributed across tropical and subtropical Africa, and also occurs in limited areas of South America, including Brazil, northern Colombia, and Paraguay. It was most likely introduced to South America by human activity, no later than the late 19th century. In South Africa, this spider lives across multiple biomes: Grassland, Indian Ocean Coastal Belt, Forest, and Savanna. Nephilingis cruentata constructs asymmetrical white orb-webs, which are typically positioned against tree trunks, walls, or large rocks, and feature a funnel-shaped retreat on one side. These spiders are also frequently found under roof overhangs. Their webs are large, measuring between 1 and 1.5 meters in diameter.
