About Trichonephila edulis (Labillardière, 1799)
Trichonephila edulis (Labillardière, 1799) is a species of large spider in the family Nephilidae, and was formerly classified in the genus Nephila. Its common name is the Australian golden orb weaver. This species is distributed across Indonesia from Java eastward, as well as in Papua New Guinea, Australia, northern New Zealand, and New Caledonia. Individuals show high variability in body size: females can reach a maximum body length of 40 millimetres, while males reach approximately 7 millimetres. The cephalothorax is black with a white pattern on its dorsal surface and a yellow underside; the abdomen ranges in colour from grey to brown. The main orb web of this spider reaches roughly 1 metre in diameter, and is protected on one or both sides by a strong barrier web. T. edulis breeds between February and May, and produces an average clutch of 380 eggs. It is closely related to Trichonephila plumipes, the tiger spider, another species commonly found in Australia. Trichonephila edulis is an edible spider; several related spider species are considered a delicacy in New Guinea, where they are plucked by the legs from their webs and lightly roasted over an open fire.
