About Deinopis spinosa Marx, 1889
Deinopis spinosa, commonly called the ogrefaced spider or net-casting spider, is a species of ogrefaced spider belonging to the family Deinopidae. Its distribution covers the United States, St. Vincent, and Venezuela. This spider is well known for using a net to catch prey. To do this, it holds a small web stretched across its legs while suspended from a thin, sparse web frame. When prey approaches, the spider lunges forward to catch the insect in its net. To capture prey flying above itself, the spider uses a backward striking motion. When prey is outside the spider's field of vision, it seems to rely on a sensory organ on its front legs, called the metatarsal organ, to detect prey. During the day, the spider stays completely immobile and camouflages itself on its host palm plant. It hunts during the night.
