About Trichonephila fenestrata (Thorell, 1859)
Trichonephila fenestrata is a species of spider in the family Araneidae, native to southern Africa. It is commonly called the black-legged golden orb-web spider. This species is distributed across Eswatini, Lesotho, and South Africa. In South Africa, it can be found in every province, and occurs in more than 20 protected areas. Three subspecies of Trichonephila fenestrata have been recorded from different regions across Africa. The species lives at altitudes between 0 and 1,795 metres above sea level, and has been documented in all South African biomes except the Desert and Succulent Karoo biomes. Trichonephila fenestrata builds large, fully formed golden yellow orb webs positioned between trees and shrubs. Individuals have also been found in citrus and prickly pear orchards. As a counter-adaptation against female sexual cannibalism, males of this species often self-amputate their legs.
