Holconia immanis at Brogo, NSW

Grey Huntsman at Brogo, NSW

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Identification history

Holconia immanis	20 Mar 2020	KimPullen
Holconia immanis	15 Mar 2020	Harrisi
Unidentified	14 Mar 2020	JackieMiles

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Author's notes

The victim of a Turneromyia spider wasp. The spider was motionless, presumably paralysed, for several minutes while the wasp made up its mind which of two holes it wanted to drag it into.

7 comments

JackieMiles wrote:

16 Mar 2020

Hi Stuart, Dunno about that ID. The pattern on the cephalothorax doesn't look the same as any of the ALCW sightings of that species (ie dark centre with a pale margin) and it is not holding its legs in the typical huntsman pose with the first 2 pairs directed forwards and substantially longer than the back 2 pairs either. Though that could be an effect of the paralysis maybe.

Harrisi wrote:

16 Mar 2020

Hi Jackie. I will stick with that ID though will not confirm in spite of your doubt. Feel free to ask another moderator for their opinion (and confirmation or not). Your first point re cephalothorax is valid, though as with most creatures, a range of variability in patterning and colouration may apply. In your second point you both ask then answer your question. There are a few more factors (banded legs, pedipalp appearance, overall shape/'jizz' of spider, eye pattern and the definitive black stripe to the medial/anterior of its abdomen). I know it is not always possible but one or two pics from a different angle would help with ID.The suggested sp. is very common all down the east coast and is often observed in mortal combat with the said spider wasp....

JackieMiles wrote:

17 Mar 2020

OK, well let's wait and see if anyone else picks it up and makes a call on it.

KimPullen wrote:

17 Mar 2020

It does look like a Holconia, and H. immanis is the name that seems to be applied to most sightings in NSW. There are 9 species listed in AFD, but I don't know which might occur in this region, and how they might differ from H. immanis. I think the leg positions may be due to paralysis, as you suggest Jackie.

JackieMiles wrote:

18 Mar 2020

So we could create a Holconia sp. category and stick it in that then?

KimPullen wrote:

21 Mar 2020

I'm happy to confirm it as H. immanis.

JackieMiles wrote:

22 Mar 2020

OK, thanks, files renamed accordingly.

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