Phlogiellus inermis (Ausserer) 1871

Phlogiellus inermis

Male 27 mm (including the pair of posterior spinneret)

11-9-2010 12:59 GOMANDONG CAVE

Phlogiellus inermis

Female 11mm
13-9-2009 15:20 ESPLANADE

Phlogiellus inermis

Female 20mm
2-8-2009 10:54 ABAKA

Phlogiellus inermis

Female 17mm
6-9-2009 16:40 ABAKA

Phlogiellus inermis

Female 20mm
30-8-2009 12:55 ABAKA

Classification: Family Theraphosidae, Hairy Mygalomorph Spiders
Habitat: Leaf litter, especially near the base of tree trunks in waste-land and gardens.

Female: 20 mm.
Male: 17 mm.
Distribution: Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia.

Nocturnal. Hides in silk-lined spaces among leaf litter.

When disturbed, the spider will adopt a threat posture by lifting its cephalothorax and spreading its jaws and first two pairs of legs. Classification: Family Theraphosidae, Hairy Mygalomorph Spiders
Habitat: Leaf litter, especially near the base of tree trunks in waste-land and gardens.
Female: 20 mm.
Male: 17 mm.
Distribution: Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia.

Theraphosidae and several other families of primitive spiders are collectively known as "Mygalomorph Spiders".
These are hairy, robust spiders with heavy jaws projecting forward horizontally from the cephalothorax. The fangs point backwards, instead of facing each other like a pair of pincers as in most spiders. On the underside of the abdomen are two pairs of book-lungs, whose positions are marked by four pale patches.

Most Theraphosids live on the ground, but some can be found in holes high in trees. Some Theraphosids are kept as pets in the United States, where they are known as "Tarantulas" or "Bird-Eating Spiders".

Above Photo : View from bottom of the spider

pair of Anterior Spinnerets, pair of Posterior Spinnerets

The body divided into two distinct parts. The carapace and the abdomen

A female
Phlogiellus inermis
spider of Malaysia

20mm body length

(2 missing legs)

Photo below : View from the side of the abdomen

A pair of chelicerae

Immediately in front of the carapace is a pair of long, thick appendages called chelicerae. On their ventral surfaces each chelicera is armed with a venomous fang.

The fangs, in their relaxed state, fold next to a row of spikes or teeth (cheliceral teeth)

Venomous fangs

Immediately in front of the carapace is a pair of long, thick appendages called chelicerae. On their ventral surfaces (bottom ends) each chelicera is armed with a venomous fang.

The fangs, in their relaxed state, fold next to a row of spikes or teeth (cheliceral teeth)

This spider pair of fangs point straight down with the chelicera and do not cross each other like fangs common spiders.

The carapace (head)

The most obvious part of the front portion is the carapace. This is a shield-like plate that covers the dorsal region of the cephalothorax or prosoma. The carapace possesses a sub-centrally placed dimple know as the fovea (a point of attachment for muscles of the internal sucking stomach).

Towards the front of the carapace is a small mound where the eyes are situated (ocular tubercle).

The eyes

Towards the front of the carapace is a small mound where the eyes are situated (ocular tubercle)

The 4 pairs (8) of eyes are so close together that it looks as if having only 1 pair (2) of eyes.

This Phlogiellus inermis spider was found in 2009 at an old palm tree trunk beside a small mosque at ABAKA, along the Merotai Road.

This small mosque serves as a prayer hall for those travellers travelling the Pan Borneo Highway to Kota Kinabalu from Tawau.

Religions talks about time eternal. Spiders are one

The largest ever fossil of a prehistoric spider is 165 million years old with a six inch leg span. It was an Nephilids (Golden Orb Weavers) which still thrive today. This web spider build largest web in rain forest.

If any web that could catch a bird as big as a phoenix, it only ccan be this Nephilids (Golden Orb Weavers).

In "The Seven Valleys And the Four Valleys", Baha'u'llah wrote:

"How can feeble reason encompass the Qur’án,
Or the spider snare a phoenix in his web? "

The Qu'ran mentioned about spider and its web:

"The false gods which the idolaters serve besides God may be compared to the spider's cobweb. Surely the spider's is the frailest of all dwellings, if they but knew it." (Q29:41)

Not only the Qu'ran use spider webs as negative, the Holy Bible also has negative references to spiders:

The trust of the hypocrite is compared to the spider's web or house (Job 8:14). It is said of the wicked by Isaiah that they "weave the spider's web" (59:5), i.e., their works and designs are, like the spider's web, vain and useless. The Hebrew word here used is 'akkabish, "a swift weaver." http://biblehub.com/topical/s/spider.htm

In Job 8:14 the spider's web is an emblem of frailty: "Whose confidence shall break in sunder, and whose trust is a spider's web." Frailty or futility seems to be indicated also in Isaiah 59:5, 6: "They hatch adders' eggs, and weave the spider's web:.... Their webs shall not become garments, neither shall they cover themselves with their works" "Spider's web" is in Job 8:14 both `akkabhish, "spider's house," while in Isaiah 59:5 it is qure `akkabhish, qur, according to BDB, being "thread" or "film." http://biblehub.com/topical/s/spider.htm

4 Bible Verses about Spiders: http://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Spiders

	Job 8:14 Whose confidence is fragile, And whose trust a spider's web.
	Proverbs 30:28 The lizard you may grasp with the hands, Yet it is in kings' palaces.
	Isaiah 59:5 They hatch adders' eggs and weave the spider's web; He who eats of their eggs dies, And from that which is crushed a snake breaks forth.
	Job 27:18 "He has built his house like the spider's web, Or as a hut which the watchman has made.

“蜘蛛是地球上最古老的生物之一”"Spiders are one of the oldest creatures on the planet"

The spider and the elephant
http://indiatemple.blogspot.com/2006/06/spider-and-elephant.html

Thiruvanaikkaval, Srirangam: We would love to consider that we are super intelligent beings on this planet. Well let’s hold onto our egos a bit and take a look at this story.

There was once a vast forest that surrounded the interior lands around the Kaveri river in Trichy district. It was a forest rich with Jambu trees under one of which was installed a Shiva Linga. Back in the serene world that surrounded this Linga lived an elephant that used to come and worship the Lord every day. The elephant was an ardent devotee of the Lord.

At the same time there was yet another unassuming devotee who used to worship the Lord with as much devotion. A spider used to live around the shrine and tie a web above it so that the leaves from the Jambu tree would not fall on the Lord himself. But there was a problem for every time the spider made his web to protect the Lord, the elephant would destroy it thinking it was absolute sacrilege. This resulted in a mounting fight between the spider and the elephant, a massive clash of egos.

Finally the spider decided one day that it would not take this any more. The next day when the elephant came to worship the Lord he as usual decided to destroy the web the spider had spun over the Linga. This time the spider got smarter and entered into the elephant’s trunk and bit him. The following duel killed both the elephant and the spider. This is when Lord Shiva appeared before both of them, and said that they both had pleased him well with their devotion.

The spider in his next birth was born as King Kochchengan who built the current temple at Thiruvanaikkaval, in the island city of Srirangam to worship Lord Shiva. Interestingly, he built the sanctum sanctorum in such a way that no elephant would be able to enter the Gharbha Griha. Hence this is the only temple where the Garbha Griha is built low, has a very small vestibule (Antarala) and an even smaller chamber within which the Lingam resides. The entrance is extremely small such that no elephant can even find its way in. The only way to view the Lord is through a Jali window placed in front of Nandi, through which the Lord can be seen. It is considered very auspicious to be able to view the Lord through the horns of Nandi Bull through the Jali window.

The story of Lord Shiva’s temple at Thiruvanaikkaval does not end here; they say that even if the Kaveri river dries up in peak summer, the water within this shrine chamber never dries. There is water that surrounds this Linga the year round even if there is extreme heat around this area of interior Tamil Nadu. Such is the power of the Lord. This temple at Thiruvanakkaval is also called Jambukeswara temple as an extension of the Jambu tree under which the Linga was originally installed.

This is about Thiruvanaikkaval, there is more to the spider. Incase tomorrow you decide to clean up the spider webs in your Puja room, think twice before hitting the spiders. Spiders are great devotees of the Lord, and if there is serious devotion in your house, spiders will come and make webs within this section of the house. So next time you decide to clean up, leave the spiders alone!