Tetragnatha
Tetragnatha montana
The genus of spiders authentics Strecker ( Tetragnatha ), also known simply Strecker spiders around comprises about 326 species ( Platnick, 2007). The main distribution area are the tropics and subtropics. In Europe, only eight species are known to occur near water, in marshes or in wet forests. In the vast lake areas and swamp forests in northeast Germany they are extremely numerous. Confusion with her family is influenced by the unclear and inconsistent naming German, Dick Kiefer spiders ( Tetragnathidae ), which are often also called Strecker spiders.
Actual Strecker spiders have an elongated and narrow, to rod-shaped abdomen. You stretch out at the risk and put the front leg pair of forward and so they are very well camouflaged on stems, leaves and branches back to the rear. Many species spend the day at the bottom of reed leaves and are therefore very difficult to detect.
In addition to this camouflage, they have yet another adaptation to their habitat: You can use the surface tension of the water and running in an emergency on the water, as it can also Gera Ndete fishing spider ( Dolomedes fimbriatus ) and some wolf spiders as Pirata. Like other members of the family of the thick pine spiders build orb webs with an open hub.
The pairing of the authentics Strecker spinning takes place, as with many genuine spiders. To fill the palps but the male weaves a triangular horizontal semen network. First drop of sperm are released by rocking of the abdomen on top of semen network. Subsequently, the male climbs on the bottom of the net and filled his eyeballs with the sperm; probably by means of capillary forces. The palps are insalivated before.