the triangulate cobweb spider ( scientific name : steatoda triangulosa ; also called the triangulate bud spider ) is a common house spider in the genus steatoda .

as the name indicates , it is well known for the triangle-shaped pattern on the dorsal side of its abdomen .

triangulate cobweb spider

detailing the physical features , habits , territorial reach and other identifying qualities of the triangulate cob web spider .
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the triangulate cobweb spider ( steatoda triangulosa ) , also known as the triangulate bud spider , is a species of common house spider that is found throughout the world . it is found along the coasts in north america , in southern russia , in new zealand , and in europe . it is largely believed to be native to eurasia .
brown house spider classification the brown house spider belongs to the genus steatoda in the family theridiidae . its scientific name is steatoda grossa . the genus steatoda contains 122 recognized spider species . the false katipo spider ( steatoda capensis ) , the western bud spider ( steatoda hespera ) and the triangulate cobweb spider ( steatoda triangulosa ) are a few examples of close brown house spider relatives .
the term ' cobweb spider ' covers several species of cobweb spiders , including black widows . considering that , isn ' t it misleading to say that cobweb spiders are harmless , and bites can be treated at home ?
there are a lot of different species of cobweb spiders with different markings . however , almost all cobweb spiders are brown or gray in color .
one of the spiders most frequently encountered in basements , garages , and cellars over much of north america is the triangulate cobweb spider , steatoda triangulosa . it is a member of the cobweb weaver family theridiidae , and therefore related to black widows . not surprisingly , it is sometimes mistaken for a widow .
the female cobweb spider wraps her eggs in a silk case and attaches it to a point nearby her web .
steatoda triangulosa , the triangulate steatoda , or triangulate bud spider , pictured at left , is a cosmopolitan species found in various areas of the world . this spider is moderately small ( 5 mm ) , reddish to reddish - brown in color , and exhibits a well defined pattern of light colored triangles on the dorsal abdomen .
the triangulate cobweb spider is known to prey on many species of arthropods including flies , wasps , other spiders , pillbugs , ticks and stink bugs . the egg sac , about the same size as the spider , is made from loosely woven silk and contains about 30 eggs .
cobweb spiders are sometimes called cobweb weavers because of the webs they create . these spiders make messy , irregular webs that have no distinct shape or form .
the triangulate cobweb spider is known to prey on many other types of arthropods , including ants ( including fire ants ) , other spiders , pillbugs , and ticks . it preys on several other spiders believed to be harmful to humans , including the hobo spider and the brown recluse .
triangulate orb weavers are not afraid to take down an insect much larger than itself . a good web does the hard work for it .
brown house spider name the brown house spider is also called cupboard spider and dark comb - footed spider . since it is one of several spider species that people tend to confuse with the infamous black widow spider , it is sometimes referred to as false black widow spider ; and epithet that it shares with many other american spider species .
what is a cobweb spider ? cobweb spiders belong to the family theridiidae , which includes over 2 , 300 species worldwide . more than 230 different species of cobweb spiders occur in north america alone . named for the irregular , messy - looking sticky webs they spin , the arachnids are often alternatively known as cobweb weavers . they can be found in a variety of places ranging from basements and garages to caves and burrows . some species primarily live outdoors , while others are frequently encountered indoors .
the triangulate household spider belongs to the family of comb - footed spiders , theridiidae . like other members of this group , these spiders build irregular webs . it takes anywhere from several nights to more than a week for these nocturnal spiders to finish their web .
male cobweb spiders rarely live more than a year , but in some species females can live for three years or more .
these spiders are funny . ihave three that i am keeping as sort of pets . they are really neat to watch . i recently afound a yellkw sac of whom i added and watched the dynamics change in their environment . however out of the three triangulate cobweb spiders one is super super avgressive . why would that be ?
the most obvious sign of a cobweb spider infestation is usually the presence of the sticky webs for which the arachnid family is named . cobweb weavers typically situate their webs in dry , protected locations around the house or yard . if the web contains a brownish - coloured sack made of silk , it means the spider has reproduced and laid eggs that will hatch in the near future .
from the harmless house spiders to the venomous widows , the family theridiidae includes a large and diverse group of arachnids . chances are there ' s a cobweb spider somewhere in your house right now .
the spider hangs upside down while waiting for unsuspecting prey to fly or fall into sticky places on the web . using a comb of serrated bristles on their hind legs the spider covers its prey in silk and waits for it to stop moving before biting . the triangulate household spider has been found to prey on many kinds of arthropods , including ants , spiders ( including the brown recluse ) , ticks and pillbugs .
cobweb spiders are sexually dimorphic in size ; females are larger than males . female cobweb spiders have spherical abdomens and long , slender legs . some species practice sexual cannibalism , with the female eating the male after mating . the black widow gets its name from this practice .
the triangulate cobweb weaver spins an irregular , tangled web with a more - or - less sheet - like central platform . it seems to prefer dark recesses where it can dash into a crevice if disturbed . look for them in your basement , cellar , garage , water meter box , or under bridges and in culverts , where the entire web may be protected from the elements . the spider hangs upside down in its web .
cobweb spiders feed on insects , and occasionally other spiders . when an insect becomes ensnared in the sticky strands of the web , the spider quickly injects it with venom and wraps it tightly in silk . the meal can then be consumed at the spider ' s leisure .
cobweb spiders live throughout the world , with more than 2200 species described to date . well over 200 theridiid species live in north america .
notice two rows of eyes . one of the most distinguishing features on a cobweb spider is their eyes . the eight eyes form two rows across their head , each with four eyes each . [ 6 ]
cobweb spiders build irregular , 3 - dimensional webs of sticky silk . not all spiders within this group build webs , however . some cobweb spiders live in social communities , with spiderlings and adult females sharing the web . others practice kleptoparasitism , stealing prey from other spiders ' webs .
what do they come from ? found throughout the world , cobweb spiders live in a wide range of indoor and outdoor habitats . they live up to their name by spinning cobweb - style spider webs , which they often position in dry , protected locations . common nesting sites include the dark corners of buildings like barns , garages , and sheds . cobweb weavers will also spin their webs under outdoor decks and in piles of wood or debris . certain species commonly invade the home , as well .
female cobweb spiders can lay as many as 250 eggs at a time . they deposit the eggs in silk sacks , which hang from the web under the watchful eyes of the mother . newly hatched cobweb spiders look similar to adults and grow by shedding their exoskeleton multiple times throughout their youth . as adults , male cobweb weavers seldom live longer than a year , while females of certain species enjoy a lifespan of at least three years .
look for an upside down spider . cobweb spiders like to build their webs and then spend their time hanging upside down in the middle of the web . if you get close enough , check to see if the head of the spider is hanging down right in the center . [ 8 ]
photo credit : cobweb weaver , steatoda triangulosa - university of nebraska - lincoln department of entomology , http : / / entomology . unl . edu .
male cobweb weavers leave their webs and go looking for females . if they find one , they approach very cautiously , because sometimes females eat the males .
looking at some webs might help you identify a particular spider , but you can ' t tell whether or not a spider is dangerous from its web .
ground sac spider ( castianeira longipalpa ) , southpoint swamp , durham , nc , 9 / 26 / 07 , a moderate - sized spider . thanks to
what do they eat ? cobweb spiders feed on the insects and other invertebrates that become ensnared in their webs . they wrap the prey in sticky silk and administer a bite that injects a paralyzing , if not fatal , dose of venom . after wrapping their prey , cobweb weavers will sometimes save the meal for later .
wolf spider , alopecosa genus . durham , nc , 4 / 19 / 11
check for rounded abdomens . cobweb spiders have round middle sections . they don’t have elongated or oval abdomens . they are often described as globular shaped . [ 3 ]
cobwebs are easily removed with a vacuum cleaner , while the spiders themselves can be relocated to the outdoors in a glass or jar . severe infestations of cobweb weavers may necessitate the use of pest control products available at stores . professional pest control services can also provide assistance when large numbers of cobweb spiders are too difficult to remove alone .
crab spider ( xysticus genus ) , durham , nc , 10 / 1 / 05 . also found in local swamp . this spider was about ⅛ inch long .
update july 16 , 2008 . recently , the our office has had a number of phone calls from people asking if this is a dangerous spider . this is a very common spider and it is not considered to be a spider of medical importance .
control : no extraordinary measures are needed to control this spider . the low - toxic method of dealing with web - building spiders is to knock down the webs and step on the spider or use a vacuum cleaner to remove both spider and web .
steatoda hespera , the western steatoda or western bud spider , is a smallish ( 7 - 8 mm ) , brown cobweb weaver that is often misidentified as a small
brown
black widow : pictured above right , this species is common throughout the eastern half of the u . s . range of the hobo spider . it now appears that this little arachnid may be the single most effective predator of the hobo spider .
the cobweb spider builds a cobweb that consists of an irregular tangle of sticky silk fibers . this species has poor eyesight and depends largely on vibrations on the web when prey make contact or also to alert them of possible danger when larger animals are nearby and could possibly injure or kill it . this spider preys on many types of arthropods , including ants , spiders , pillbugs , and ticks . it preys on a number of spiders that are considered dangerous or poisonous to humans , such as the hobo spider and the brown recluse . the egg sac is made from loosely woven silk , and is about the same size as the spider . each egg sac contains up to 30 eggs .
spinnerets : used in the production of spider silk for fashioning webs or catching prey .
trapdoor spider , hope mills , nc . photo taken by samantha adkins - witmill .
dewdrop spider ( argyrodes genus ) with orb weaver prey . species may be elevatus .
jumping spider with prey , dare county , nc , 10 / 5 / 05 .
brown house spider bite the brown house spider is not an aggressive species and humans are never considered prey . it is theoretically possible for a brown house spider to confuse a human finger for prey if you put your finger in its web , but in reality humans are typically perceived as too large and the brown house spider will flee rather than bite . most brown house spider bites occur when the spider is unable to escape , e . g . when it is squeezed by human hand . the brown house spider does not have sharp eyes and it will instead depend on vibrations when orienting itself .
jumping spider ( platycryptus undatus ) , durham , nc , 8 / 14 / 07 . this was a relatively large spider , at least 13 mm long and very lively .
brown house spider description the female brown house spider reaches a size of 6 - 10 . 5 millimetres as an adult . the male is smaller and will typically stay between 4 . 1 and 7 . 2 millimetres . he is also more slender than the female brown house spider . the female spider has a bulbous abdomen . both sexes display a dark coloration . the shade can be black or brown - purple and the body is decorated with light coloured markings . you can easily tell the difference between the brown house spider and the black widow spider , since the black widow spider have a red hourglass shaped marking .
there is one endangered north carolina spider species , i . e . , the spruce fir moss spider . as the name implies , the spider ' s natural habitat is found in the southern appalachians , among these northern conifers , at elevations above ~ 5400 feet .
cobweb spiders , part of the family theridiidae , are commonly found in and around your home . the majority of them are harmless . there are over 2 , 300 species of cobweb spiders , and more than 230 in the us . they are named for their messy , irregular webs , which can help you identify them . you can also identify this type of spider by their round bellies , their long legs , and their tendency to live in dark corners .
basilica spider egg sacs . durham , 7 / 31 / 05 . with egg sacs .
orchard spider , durham , nc , 9 / 19 / 12 ( dorsal view ) .
funnel web spider with moth prey , durham , nc , 9 / 24 / 08 .
ground spider ( cesonia bilineata ) , durham , nc , 6 / 13 / 06 .
female cobweb weavers are often much bigger than males . there is a lot of variation in color in this family , but many species are brownish - grey with various patterns of darker marks .
basilica spiders . the smaller spider let the big spider touch it with two feet for a second or two , then they quickly separated . no accounting for taste ( pun intended ! )
despite being beneficial by preying on and eliminating pest insects , cobweb spiders can cause problems that turn these arachnids into pests themselves . in general , the mere presence of spiders in the home often alarms residents , particularly ones who suffer from arachnophobia . from an aesthetic standpoint , the sticky webs that cobweb spiders weave can mar the appearance of the home by creating a messy , unkempt look .
look for a spider small to medium in size . there are thousands of species of cobweb spiders , and over 200 in the us . they will vary in size from small to medium . many species are around ⅛ to ⅜ inches ( 3 to 10 mm ) long . [ 4 ]
yes . the black widow spider lives in southern alberta bc , but it is rarely seen .
three - lined ant - mimic spider ( castianeira trilineata ) , durham , nc , 6 / 02 / 11 . the id for this spider has been challenged , but no alternative proposed .
cross spider , ludlow , massachusetts , 10 / 31 / 07 . photo taken by mark moran .
araneus bicentenarius , great smoky mountains . photo taken by
vicki .
a very big spider .
ghost spider , johnston mill nature preserve , orange county , nc , 6 / 16 / 07 .
the legs of cobweb spiders are long and thin , with the first set of legs being the longest . the third set of legs is the shortest . the fourth set of legs have combs or tiny hairs .
the triangulate household spider , steatoda triangulosa , is a very common house spider and one many homeowners see hanging in irregular webs in dark corners of houses , basements , garages and outbuildings . it is quite small–the body is only about 1 / 8 - to 1 / 4 - inch long . the cephalothorax ( located behind the spiders ' head ) is brownish orange . the center of its brown abdomen has several distinctive white and yellow triangular spots , which explains its common name . its legs are light yellow , with slightly darker rings at the ends of the joints .
cobweb spiders place their webs in dry , dark areas . they can be found in garages , eaves , attics , porches , sheds , and basements . they are also found just about everywhere indoors and around windows .
crab spider ( tmarus genus ) , durham , nc , 7 / 2 / 12 . id thanks to
elliot , l . ( 2010 ) . spider eye arrangements . retrieved october 9 , 2010 from urltoken .
american museum of natural history ( 2011 ) a key to spider families . retrieved june 9 2011 from urltoken
male cobweb spiders roam in search of mates . in many species , the male uses a stridulatory organ to signal his interest in females . though some theridiid males do get eaten after mating , most survive to find another mate .
crab spider , durham , nc , 8 / 17 / 06 . showed up on door to our deck .
perhaps most seriously , certain species of cobweb weavers known as widow spiders are venomous enough to harm humans . widow spiders can be recognized by their shiny black colour and the distinctive red markings that may form an hourglass shape on the abdomen .
this spider mates and produces egg sacs from late spring through early fall . an egg sac is about the size of the adult spider and is made of loosely woven white silk . about 30 eggs can be seen in each sac .
crab spider ( xysticus genus ) with egg sac . flat river waterfowl impoundment , nc , 8 / 15 / 10
durham , nc , 7 / 28 / 05 . this tiny spider showed up at the swamp in my neighborhood .
with dozens of genera in the theridiidae family , adaptations and defenses are as diverse as the cobweb spiders . argyrodes spiders , for example , live along the edges of other spiders ' webs , dashing in to grab a meal when the resident spider isn ' t around . some theridiids mimic ants , either to trick potential ant prey or to fool possible predators .
brown house spider range and habitat the brown house spider is found in many different parts of the world , including europe , north america , australia and new zealand . in the wild , the brown house spider will typically create its web under rocks and among timber . it derives its name from its fondness of man made constructions and brown house spider webs are often found in dark and generally undisturbed parts of humans dwellings , such as garages , tool sheds , behind furniture etcetera .
cobweb weavers have eight eyes on the front of their cephalothorax , arranged in two rows of four . below the eyes is the mouth and fangs that they use to bite their prey with . they all have venom to paralyze and digest their prey .
after cleaning there , i let the spider be as it is so tiny and not a bother . thanks for the id
spiders have some natural enemies . one of them is an insect : the so - called thread - legged bug of the stenolema genus . these bugs wiggle constantly , and when they contact a spider web , the spider mistakes them for prey .
araneus guttulatus , durham , nc , 6 / 14 / 08 . a very tiny spider , about 2 mm long .
, durham , nc , 5 / 27 / 09 . this spider is also shown in the picture on the right .
crab spider ( xysticus genus ) . durham ( swamp in my neighborhood ) , nc , 9 / 22 / 05 .
spider exuvia . you can see the red chelicerae ending in black fangs . durham , nc , 6 / 14 / 08
recently , we have had a number of phone calls asking about the seriousness of this very common spider . there have been no known cases of human envenomation by s . triangulosa . experts don ' t consider it to be a medically important spider .
one important group of cobweb weavers in the widow spiders . they are one of the few groups of spiders whose venom can hurt people . only female widow spiders bite . they are shiny black , and have red markings on the bottom of their round abdomen .
what do they look like ? all spiders share the same basic physical makeup consisting of a cephalothorax at the front of the body , an abdominal section at the rear , and eight legs that extend from the cephalothorax . cobweb spiders in particular are noted for the characteristically round shape of their abdomens and for their long , thin , spine - free legs . the last pair of hind legs features a row of microscopic , bristle - like hairs , which is why cobweb spiders are sometimes referred to as comb - footed spiders .
female green lynx spider , in fall brown coloring , central florida , 11 / 16 / 11 . photo taken by chester wheeler
running crab spider ( philodromus genus perhaps ) , durham , nc , date unknown . id thanks to john r . maxwell .
peppered jumping spider ( pelegrina galathea ) , mason farm biological reserve , orange county , nc , 5 / 10 / 14 .
jumping spider ( platycryptus undatus ) , durham , nc , 7 / 13 / 06 . it is missing its left foreleg .
pirate spider ( mimetus puritanus ) , third fork creek trail , durham , nc , 7 / 23 / 13 . id thanks to
basilica spider , durham , nc , 7 / 6 / 09 . note the distinguishing green stripe on the side of the abdomen .
basilica spider , durham , nc , 7 / 1 / 08 . the dominant color on the side of the abdomen is yellow .
funnel web spider , durham , nc , 2 / 27 / 11 . this web didn ' t have an obvious funnel shape .
jumping spider ( female phidippus clarus ) , with prey . flat river impoundment , durham county , nc , 7 / 18 / 11
cobweb weavers can also be identified by the configuration of their eight eyes , which form a pair of rows on the front of the cephalothorax . the large and diverse family of spiders varies widely in colour . females tend to be larger in size than males of the same species .
dark fishing spider ( dolomedes tenebrosus ) , cherryville , gaston county , nc , 5 / 30 / 11 . photo by destiny canipe .
dark fishing spider ( dolomedes tenebrosus ) ? , indoors . photo by michaela brown . id is uncertain : markings aren ' t typical .
this male goldenrod crab spider ( misumena vatia ) was busily spinning a web . it looks as though this spider has only three legs ; however , its two hind pairs are small and light - colored and didn ' t come out in these photos . the spider is missing one of its large black forelegs . eno river sp , old cole mill road access , durham county , nc , 9 / 16 / 05 .
folding - door spider ( antrodiaetus microunicolor ) , yadkinville , yadkin county , nc , 11 / 30 / 10 . photo by brandon frye .
this picture gives a better picture of how big this dark fishing spider was . ms . lessing said it seemed to be five inches across .
sac spider ( clubionidae family ) . note the spinnerets at the end of the abdomen . kyron thinks it might be a clubiona genus member .
female basilica spider , durham , 6 / 30 / 05 , wrapping up its prey . the green stripe is present , but hard to see .
this large wolf spider was carrying a bunch of spiderlings on her abdomen at johnston mill , orange county , nc , 7 / 15 / 06 .
durham , nc , 6 / 9 / 05 . you can see only six legs , but this small ( magnified ) spider apparently lost some .
jumping spider with prey , possibly a winged termite . penny ' s bend nature preserve , durham county , nc , 4 / 20 / 07 .
this species preys on a variety of insects , including the red imported fire ant ( “rifa” ) in the southern u . s . unfortunately , it is an unlikely candidate as a biological control agent of that pest ( mackay and vinson , 1989 ) . this is apparently a spider that “plays well with others , ” as it may build its web in relatively close proximity to the webs of other cobweb weavers , cellar spiders , and even brown recluse spiders .
this spider ' s cobwebs may also be found outdoors , especially in areas where night - flying insects are attracted to lights from windows or porch lights .
funnel web spider , with part of web on bush . a sight often overlooked . american tobacco trail , durham , nc , 9 / 29 / 11
like all spiders , cobweb weavers are sensitive to vibrations and touch . they probably also use chemical sense to communicate , and they can see , but not too well . some species in this family have special body parts they can rub together to make noise or vibrations . no one knows exactly what they are for .
southern house spider ( kukulcania hibernalis ) about half an inch long . oviedo , seminole county , fl , 7 / 18 / 11 . photo by kurt amesbury
smooth flower spider ( misumenoides formosipes ) assuming yellow color and attacking a bumblebee . mason farm biological reserve , orange county , nc , 9 / 19 / 11
micrathena sagittata ) , eno river sp , old cole mill road access , 7 / 30 / 05 . this spider was in the process of web - spinning .
dark fishing spider ( dolomedes tenebrosus ) , eno river state park ( old cole mill rd . access ) , orange county , nc , 3 / 24 / 11
jumping spider ( male phidippus princeps ) , penny ' s bend nature preserve , durham , nc , 4 / 4 / 09 . id thanks to ryan kaldari .
mangora maculata , johnston mill nature preserve , orange county , nc , 8 / 31 / 07 . this may be the same species as the spider on the left .
mangora maculata , durham , nc , 8 / 1 / 07 . this appears to be the same species as the spider on the immediate left . genus id thanks to
basilica spider , view of the bottom part of the abdomen , durham , nc , 7 / 20 / 05 . it mimics an open mouth with tongue and fangs .
same location , 9 / 3 / 05 . according to patrick moran , this is a male spider ; the others are females . the large pedipalps are the key .
tiny crab spider ( synema parvulum ) , with prey , indian creek trail , a jordan lake game land , chatham county , nc , 7 / 7 / 06 .
comb - footed spider ( theridion pictipes ) , johnston mill nature preserve , orange county , nc , 5 / 31 / 07 . id thanks to john and jane balaban .
running crab spider ( philodromidae family ) , congaree national park , sc , 4 / 30 / 11 . id thanks to john and jane balaban , confirmed by lynette schimming .
a small spider , about 1 / 4 inch ( 6 mm ) in body length . it is dark brown overall with yellowish legs and yellowish triangle shapes on the dorsal surface of the abdomen . this spider can be quite variable in coloration , from cream color to very dark brown . as the name implies , it is well known for the triangle shapes .
nova scotia , canada , 10 / 18 / 07 . photo taken by nancy crowell . id is uncertain , since nova scotia may have some spider species unique to the area .
this spider is very cosmopolitan in its range , being found from coast to coast in north america , southern russia , europe and new zealand . it is primarily a house spider , building its irregular webs in the corners of buildings and other man - made structures . it is considered to be common in its range so it is most likely common in this area .
star - bellied spider , mason farm biological reserve , orange county , nc , 8 / 28 / 05 . this one reminds of part of a cuckoo clock my mother once had !
star - bellied spider , indian creek trail , a jordan lake game land , chatham county , nc , 7 / 7 / 06 : ventral view on left , dorsal on right .
filmy dome spider , johnston mill nature preserve , orange county , nc , 8 / 18 / 06 . id thanks to john robinson , confirmed by samford university ' s relevant page .
this spider family has the most species , although its members are very tiny and probably overlooked altogether by most people . the two shown below are apparently the most common in piedmont north carolina .
female bowl - and - doily spider , johnston mill nature preserve , orange county , nc , 4 / 18 / 09 . this variant pattern is puzzling , may be due to wear .
crab spider ( mecaphesa dubia ) , eno river sp , old cole mill road access , orange county , nc , 6 / 23 / 05 . this one showed up on my car .
( micrathena gracilis ) , durham , 7 / 28 / 05 . this spider had spun a web across a walking path in my neighborhood that was high enough not to be disturbed by people .
spider taxonomy today , now basically on spider genome data , is a work in progress : although the family , genus and species classifications shown below are mainly traditional , the higher taxa are in the process of substantial revision and different sources seem to represent different stages of the process . we have done our best to make sense of this situation and are trying to keep as current as possible .
young jumping spider , eno river sp , old cole mill road access , orange county , nc , 8 / 17 / 05 . look at all those eyes ! in the picture on the right , the spider faced toward me , but maybe was looking at me the whole time ! according to lyn atherton , its genus is thiodina and its species most likely sylvana because it appeared in the woods .
keeping cobweb spiders out of the house requires the simultaneous prevention of pest insects that serve as food sources for the arachnids . this can be achieved through proper sanitation and maintenance . clean the house regularly to rid the area of crumbs , excess moisture , and other insect attractants . use caulk to seal any cracks and crevices , especially around doors and windows , and repair torn or broken screens to keep pests from entering .
ghost spider , durham , nc , 6 / 5 / 09 . family id thanks to lynette schimming . here ' s the big messy straight dope : norman i . platnick ' s anyphaenidae family page .
don’t be alarmed by the presence of this species . it is not recognized as being dangerously venomous to people or pets . indeed , it is such a small spider that its bite is unlikely to puncture human skin anyway
hogna carolinensis ) , durham , nc , 3 / 22 / 06 . this relatively large spider was scrambling around on the edge of a creek , sometimes in the water , sometimes on leaves or blades of grass .
spiders of the family theridiidae are also called comb - foot spiders . theridiids have a row of setae , or bristles , on their fourth pair of legs . the setae help the spider wrap its silk around captured prey .
dark fishing spider ( dolomedes tenebrosus ) , seemed to be injured at first glance but was simply completely limp . it was large and apparently old . third fork creek trail , durham , nc , 7 / 18 / 11
this species is probably native to eurasia and was probably introduced to the u . s . in the early days of colonization . it is found throughout the u . s . and is a very common spider found in nebraska .
mating spiders and egg sacs have been found from late spring through early fall . egg sacs , about the size of the adult spider , are made of loosely woven white silk , and about 30 eggs are visible inside each sac .
generally speaking , spider taxonomy is based on anatomical structure characteristics and nature of behavior , e . g . , the movements a spider makes while constructing a web , with final web shape a lesser consideration . some spiders ambush and pounce on prey rather than catching it in a web . this is based on the theoretical heredity pattern on certain traits during the process of evolution . nevertheless , certain families have misleading common names , e . g . ,
orb weavers .
funnel web spiders have a two - part web consisting of a horizontal sheet which catches prey and a funnel - shaped tunnel in which the spider hides . in this way , these harmless ( to humans ) spiders bear a superficial resemblance to the highly venomous sydney ( australia ) funnel - web spiders , members of the hexathelidae family , suborder mygalomorphae . this is a classic example of how common names can cause serious confusion , not the least because web shape is a relatively unimportant spider classification factor .
female cobweb weavers lay eggs . they produce clutches of upto to 250 eggs at a time , and place them in egg sacks made of brownish silk . they hang the egg sacks in their web and guard them . in some species the female also feeds her babies after they hatch . they get digested food from her until they have grown enough to shed their skin the first time . after they shed they go off on their own . this is unusual , no other family of spiders is known to feed their offspring .
these webs will not be circular or have a neat pattern like many spider webs . instead , it may have an uneven , non - circular shape , have large open spaces with clumps in other parts , or look like it ' s been disturbed .
however , other spiders can inflict painful nips under some circumstances . i once was surprised in florida by a large wolf spider that had crawled into my shoe when i put it on ; it left two small , relatively deep indendations in my callused big toe .
, ( acacesia hamata ) , penny ' s bend nature preserve , durham county , nc , 9 / 7 / 07 . this was a very tiny spider , a few mm long . its placement on the brown spot of this leaf camouflaged it effectively .
this small household spider is easily overlooked as it weaves cobwebs in the dark corners of houses , basements , and outbuildings . the body is only about 1 / 8 to ¼ inch long . the cephalothorax is brownish orange . each segment of the yellow legs is darker .
araneus genus eye arrangement ( schimming ) : this seems very similar to the eye arrangements of other araneidae family members to me . however , to see close - up photos of eye arrangements of the araneidae family , go halfways down the page of spider eye arrangements ( schimming ) .
the infamous hobo spider ( tegenaria agrestis ) , found in the western us , is a member of this family , but not easy to identify . there is some controversy about their having a dangerous bite , but clear scientific evidence remains to be produced . some points of view : urltoken .
these spiders eat insects and other invertebrates . some build nests that can trap flying insects , others stick lines down to the ground that snap up and pull prey into the web . a few species sneak into the webs of other spiders and steal their prey . when cobweb weavers catch a prey animal , they wrap it in sticky silk and bite it , injecting venom that paralyzes or kills the prey . they sometimes leave the prey wrapped up and hanging in the web and eat it later . no other family uses sticky silk to wrap their prey , they just use regular silk that doesn ' t have glue on it .
spiders have typically showed up in the branches of small trees . their webs have two parts , one that is bowl - shaped and another below it that is disk - shaped and looks like a doily . when prey lands on the
doily ,
the spider leaps down from the
bowl
and attacks it .
this spider is well known for the triangle - shaped pattern on the upper side of its abdomen . the adult female is 0 . 13 to 0 . 25 inches long . it has a brown - orange cephalothorax ( anterior section including the fused head and thorax ) and spindled , yellowy legs . the abdomen is cream colored , with purple - brown zigzag lines running front to back .
. since the number of levels in the developing hierarchy is still under consideration , none are assigned names such as
superfamily .
the classifications below represent their trees in a simplified form to show the relationships among the members of this small subset of ( mainly north carolina ) spider species , with taxa at the head of each family category presented from lowest to highest in the hierarchy . for details on where this process was in 1999 , see
another related species , s . borealis , is considered one of the comb - footed spiders of most concern to urban pest controllers , along with the black widow and common house spider . it is easily distinguished from s . triangulosa by the dark colored abdomen with a narrow , light colored median line . although it is the most common steatoda of the eastern united states , it has never been found in arkansas and it is apparently rare south of illinois , iowa , and nebraska .
on our deck , funnel web spiders spin horizontal webs that attach at one end to large round lights , curving partially around them across to the
funnel
end of the web . moths drawn to the light find themselves trapped in the web because the web partially blocks their departure from the light . the web isn ' t sticky and sometimes moths find their way out . yet sometimes the spider is faster , jumping up to bite a flying moth , which lands on the web . since these lights are such a recent development in natural history , these spiders ' strategic use of them looks a lot like human - like engineering reasoning . but spiders don ' t even have real brains : a single ganglion ( a bundle of nerves ) serves instead .
severe envenomation is uncommon following the bite of steatoda species , and there are no known cases of human envenomation by s . triangulosa . when steatoda poisoning does occur , the neurotoxic symptoms are similar to those resulting from black widow bites . the related species steatoda grossa , known as the false black widow or cupboard spider , has been blamed for severe local and regional pain , nausea , and vomiting in australia . the symptoms , similar to those seen in latrodectism , have been treated successfully with latrodectus antivenom . in the united states , s . grossa is confined to the gulf coast and the west coast . fortunately , it appears that this species does not occur in arkansas . at least two species of steatoda have also been implicated in human envenomations in europe .
the information on this web site is valid for residents of southeastern nebraska . it may or may not apply in your area . if you live outside southeastern nebraska , visit your local extension office
nebraska extension in lancaster county 444 cherrycreek road , suite a , lincoln ne 68528 402 - 441 - 7180 | lancaster @ urltoken office hours are 8 a . m . - 4 : 30 p . m . , monday through friday with the exception of designated holidays . learn more about us
in lancaster county , the 4 - h youth development program is a partnership between nebraska extension and the lancaster county government .
all about insects , spiders , and other arthropods , focusing on north america north of mexico .
this species is widely distributed in the u . s . , from massachusetts to nebraska , colorado , utah , oregon , and california , and all points south ( though nearly absent in the southwest and in florida ) . it is also recorded from southern ontario , canada . it is also known from central and southern europe , the mediterranean region , and what was formerly southern russia . indeed , it is suspected that s . triangulosa was introduced to north america from overseas .
adult females are only 3 . 6 - 5 . 9 millimeters in body length , males even smaller at 3 . 5 - 4 . 7 millimeters . both genders usually sport the same distinctive pattern on the abdomen : a background color of dirty white or beige with a pair of bold , wavy , rusty or purplish brown lines down the back . the cephalothorax is normally dark reddish brown , and the legs pale brown or yellowish with dark bands at the joints . males have a more slender , leggy appearance than females .
mating occurs from late spring through early autumn . females deposit about thirty eggs at a time , wrapping them in an opaque , white , spherical sac . the eggs may be seen through the sheer fabric enclosing them . a female may produce six or more egg sacs in her lifetime .
thanks for posting this ! we just spotted one of these spiders in a corner of a shelf , and were trying to research it . great information , description and photos . most of all , glad to know it is harmless . looks like we will let this guest stay .
i love these spiders . i have a bunch in my house . they ' re so beautiful , like tiny golden orbs . thanks for posting this information .
apologies for the late reply , i was offline for several days . . . . the legspan of one of these spiders would not even cover a dime or a penny . they are quite small .
thank you for making the observations that you are . unless all three spiders are in the same container , i do not know why one of them would be aggressive in its behavior .
as an electrician in alabama i have encountered many of these spiders . when their web is disturbed , they tend to drop out of it . so wiggling around in a crawl space under a house it was not uncommon for me to end up with one of these little guys dropping down my shirt . i have been bitten a few times from them , but the pain is mild , and ends quickly after they stop biting .
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although larger members of the genus are known to have significant venom and produce a harmful bite , this species is not aggressive and no recorded bites or envenomations are known .
legs : spiders have four pairs of legs and these are attached to the cephalothorax .
abdomen : contains various organs related to digestion , reproduction , and web - making .
note : unlike insects , spiders have both an endoskeleton ( internal ) and exoskeleton ( external ) .
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the legs don’t have distinct divisions or spines on them . they look smooth instead of segmented . [ 2 ]
some markings may be red dots , white stripes , yellow dots , or orange stripes .
you may also find them under decks and houses , or in piles of outdoor debris or trash .
they weave what are known as cobwebs : the sticky , irregular webs found in attics and other places in homes that are not often visited by people .
true . but most people can identify a black widow . and instead of applying first aid , they will ( hopefully ) know to go right to the hospital .
i may have been bitten by one . i have wound the size of a quarter on my forehead and it keeps getting bigger . i have a headache and am sweating . what should i do ?
if the shoes or closets are dark enough , yes . but don ' t worry , they aren ' t poisonous . just check your shoes and clothes before you put them on .
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i found these two in my garage one night . there ' s actually a couple scenes of drama going on here .
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buccinum abyssorum , common name the shingled whelk , is a species of sea snail , a marine gastropod mollusk in the family buccinidae , the true whelks .

buccinum abyssorum

what type of species is buccinum abyssorum ? below , you will find the taxonomic groups the buccinum abyssorum species belongs to .
which photographers have photos of buccinum abyssorum species ? below , you will find the list of underwater photographers and their photos of the marine species buccinum abyssorum .
how to identify buccinum abyssorum marine species ? below , you will find the list of main identification criteria and physical characteristics of marine species buccinum abyssorum . for each identification criteria , the corresponding physical characteristics of marine species buccinum abyssorum are marked in green .
where is buccinum abyssorum found in the world ? below , you will find the list and a world map of the geographic distribution where the marine species buccinum abyssorum can be found .
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gofas , s . ; le renard , j . ; bouchet , p . ( 2001 ) . mollusca , in : costello , m . j . et al . ( ed . ) ( 2001 ) . european register of marine species : a check - list of the marine species in europe and a bibliography of guides to their identification . collection patrimoines naturels , 50 : pp . 180 - 213
rosenberg , g . 2004 . malacolog version 3 . 3 . 2 : western atlantic gastropod database . the academy of natural sciences , philadelphia , pa .
verrill & smith , 1884 . in : costello , m . j . ; bouchet , p . ; boxshall , g . ; arvantidis , c . ; appeltans , w . ( 2014 ) european register of marine species , accessed through pesi at
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the japanese marten ( martes melampus ) is a mammal in the marten genus most closely related to the sable .

it is half a meter ( 1 ½ feet ) in length on average , not counting a 20-centimeter-long tail ( 7.9 in ) , and between 1,000 and 1,500 grams ( 2.2 and 3.3 lb ) in weight .

males are generally larger than females .

the pelage varies in color from dark brown to dull yellow with a cream-colored throat .

both males and females are territorial , the size of each individual 's territory depending on food availability .

the japanese marten is omnivorous , preferring meat from fish , frogs , and small birds and mammals , but consuming insects , fruit , and seeds when necessary .

there are two confirmed subspecies of japanese marten : m. m. melampus lives on several of the japanese islands .

m. m. tsuensis is found on tsushima island .

it has been recorded in the southern korean peninsula but there are no locality details to prove a wild origin and no native population has been confirmed .

japanese marten

two species of mustelid found in japan stand out in particular as good candidates : the japanese marten and the japanese sable .
japanese marten is common throughout its known japanese range , and is increasing on tsushima island . its status in korea remains enigmatic .
japanese marten is a game species , except for the tsushima population ( masuda 2009 ) .
the japanese marten is classified as least concern ( lc ) on the iucn red list ( 1 ) .
information on the japanese marten ( martes melampus ) is currently being researched and written and will appear here shortly .
murakami , t . , n . ohtaishi . 2000 . current distribution of the sable and introduced japanese marten in hokkaido .
there are no major threats , but the population on sado island is declining due to the predation of introduced japanese marten .
( 1991a ) . the present ecological status of the tsushima marten . in :
embed this arkive thumbnail link (
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otsu , s . 1972 . winter food of japanese yellow marten , * martes melampus melampus * ( temminck and schlegel ) , in yamagata prefecture .
yoshiyuki , m . , m . mikuriya . 1974 . some habits of the japanese marten , * martes melampus melampus * ( wagner 1840 ) .
( 1990 ) the pine marten and forest fragmentation : a review and general hypothesis .
tatara , m . , t . doi . 1994 . comparative analyses on food habits of japanese marten , siberian weasel , and leopard cat in the tsushima islands , japan .
. pp . 79–82 japan wildlife research center , tokyo ( in japanese ) .
. pp . 105–126 . nagasaki prf . miscellaneous reports ( in japanese ) .
. pp . 155–166 . nagasaki biological society , nagasaki ( in japanese ) .
. pp . 167–179 . nagasaki biological society , nagasaki ( in japanese ) .
the japanese badger ( meles anakuma ) is shown above in the three images .
obara , i . 1970 . stomach contents of a tsushima marten , * martes melampus tsuensis * .
. japan wildlife research center , tokyo . 106 pp . ( in japanese ) .
. pp . 76–78 . japan wildlife research center , tokyo ( in japanese ) .
marten , m . and zwick , p . 1989 . the temperature dependence of embryonic and larval development in
tatara m . & doi t . ( 1994 ) comparative analyses on food habits of japanese marten , siberian weasel and leopard cat in the tsushima islands , japan . ecological research 17 : 99–107 .
. tohoku journal of forest science 17 : 9–15 ( in japanese with english summary ) .
the pine marten ( martes martes ) is an animal in the weasel family , native to britain northern europe .
in the vast japanese beech forest and the primeval forest of maries ' fir in hachimantai area , a variety of wild animals such as asiatic black bear , japanese serow , japanese marten and stoat are coming and going . although they are too watchful to appear easily before our eyes , it isn’t really that much difficult to find wildlife signs such as foot marks , dungs , etc . being left in the fields .
. ( ed . nagasaki prf . ) pp . 79–109 ( in japanese with english summary ) .
click the photo above to navigate to a webpage with a movie of a japanese marten attacking the nest of a japanese great tit . such observations are interesting because they allow us to better understand how martens attack bird nest boxes and shows that martens are intelligent and persistent problem solvers . in future such observations may allow us to build nestboxes that are better able to withstand marten predation attempts . taken from barnett et al . ( 2013 ) . mamm . study .
( 1977 ) studies on mammals of the mt kiso - komagarake , central japan alps . iii . food habit of the japanese marten in upper part of low and in sub - high mountainous zone on eastern slope of the kiso - komagatake .
kellert , stephen . 1991 . japanese perceptions of wildlife . conservation biology . 5 ( 3 ) , 297–308 .
author : gerald g . marten publisher : earthscan publications publication date : november 2001 , 256 pp . paperback isbn : 1853837148 hardback sbn : 185383713x
the pine marten has lived to 18 years in captivity , however , in the wild a life span of 8 to 10 years is more typical .
there is also an endemic sub - species of pika ( ochotona hyperborea yesoensis ) and sable ( martes zibellina brachyura ) . the pika is a remnant of the glacial age in and has very narrow habitat range in the central mountains around mt . daisetsu . the japanese sable is threatened by breeding with the japanese marten ( martes melampus ) , which was introduced to hokkaido ( ota 1975 ) .
hirakawa et al . ( 2010 ) can we distinguish between the sable , which is native to hokkaido , and the japanese marten , which was introduced to hokkaido , in photographs～ . mammal sci . 50 ( 2 ) , 145 - 155 ( in jpn with english abst )
hosoda , t . , h . suzuki , m . iwasa , m . hayashida , s . watanabe . 1999 . genetic relationships within and between the japanese marten * martes melampus * and the sable * martes zibellina * , based on variation of mitochondrial dna and nuclear ribosomal dna .
similarly improbable , or just plain daft , is another japanese countryside legend which has it that after reaching the age of 100 , weasels turn into ten ( martens ) . nonetheless , whether superannuated weasels or not , the japanese marten or sable ( martes melampus ) is also quite a common species in our woods — a beautiful animal with a white face and gorgeous orange fur that used to be very much in demand .
the pine marten pre - breeding season population is estimated to be 3 , 300 ( only 120 in england , 60 in wales , rest in scotland ) .
deliberate : introduced to hokkaido for fur production , and to sadogashima for control of the japanese hare lepus branchyurus as a forestry pest .
( lepidoptera , gracillariidae ) in japan . bull . fruit tree res . stn ser . c 14 : 69–95 . ( in japanese )
mccormack , gavan . 1996 . the emptiness of japanese affluence . st leonards , n . s . w . : allen & unwin .
( buskirk 1994 ) . japanese martens produce 1 to 5 offspring per litter , with a mean of 1 . 5 . they are iteroparous .
in that sense , perhaps now when someone sees for instance a japanese marten , they are more likely to see that animal for what it is , without the accompanying folklore and magical powers surrounding it . a good example of this shifting status is the japanese fox , which was once seen as a very mystical animal with many supernatural powers . in more ancient times , foxes would be described as doing all manner of magical things , and seeing one was hardly a mundane occurrence . yet in modern times , a fox is seen as just a fox , and thus there are no longer reports of the more folkloric version of the fox . many of the known animals once seen as magical are now perceived as more mundane . has some similar transformation happened with perhaps the japanese marten or sable ?
young are altricial , and are cared for by the mother . as in all mammals , the mother produces milk with which to feed her young . japanese marten kits are born deaf , blind , and furred ( macdonald 1999 ) . young martens can kill prey by 3 to 4 months and leave their mother shortly thereafter .
ah man… i’m a sucker for mustelids ( have been since i kept ferrets as a kid ) . that marten is an absolutely beautiful critter . thanks again for these great articles .
japanese marten is present in protected areas . commercial forestry should consider refinements to harvest practise that would allow a reduction in incidental habitat loss for this species ( tatara 1994 ) . conservation of deciduous forest is especially important ( nakamura et al . 2001 ) . the population of the tsushima islands is protected as a natural monument in japan .
eguchi k . , takeishi m . , nagata h . & henmi y . ( 1992 ) altitudinal distribution of forest birds in the yaku - shima island , kagoshima prefecture , japan . ii : non - breeding season . japanese journal of ecology 17 : 107–113 ( in japanese with english summary ) .
linné , from areas at different altitudes in central iwate . jap . j . appl . ent . zool . 29 : 270–277 . ( in japanese )
ohtani y . , morisawa t . , yamanoi k . , daimaru h . & goto y . ( 1995 ) effects of climatic change on phenology of snow patch vegetation . 1 : modeling of snow boundary movement and soil temperature evolution . japanese journal of ecology 17 : 225–235 ( in japanese with english summary ) .
natori , yoji . 1997 . shiretoko logging controversy : a case study in japanese environmentalism and nature conservation system . society & natural resources . 1 , 551–565 .
food habits of three sympatric carnivore mammals in the tsushima islands of japan were studied during 1986–91 . scats of the tsushima marten ( n = 1236 ) , the siberian weasel ( n = 218 ) and the tsushima leopard cat ( n = 350 ) were collected monthly and the food items were determined by scat contents analysis . marten was omnivorous showing a high level of diversity of food throughout the year . the important foods for marten were fruits and berries from spring to autumn , insects in summer and autumn and small mammals all year round . leopard cat preferred to hunt wood / mice and birds , and remained a flesh meat specialist throughout the year . weasel was intermediate between marten and leopard cat , but was slightly biased towards the flesh meat eater . the three carnivores do not compete against one another for food , except for small rodents . a conflict for food between leopard cat and weasel was suggested to be more intense than that of other combinations based on diet overlapping . marten may be characterized as an opportunistic generalist . when interspecific competitors existed , or human disturbance to the habitat occurred , the preferential flexibility of the marten to alternative food resources might become more advantageous than the other two species .
knight , john . 1997 . on the extinction of the japanese wolf . asian folklore studies . 56 ( 1 ) . retrieved march 19 , 2004 . link .
recently ( december , 2007 ) the pine marten was credited with reducing the population of the invasive eastern grey squirrel in the uk . where the range of the expanding pine marten population meets that of the grey squirrel , the population of the squirrels quickly retreats . it is theorised that because the grey squirrel spends more time on the ground than the endangered red squirrel , they are far more likely to come in contact with this predator .
japanese martens adapt their fruit and berry foraging to local plant phenology . in the presence of interspecific competitors or human disturbance , they change to alternative food resources , making them more adaptable than
i saw this on japanese tv and thought it was worth sharing . the subtitles are a bit loose , and i have only translated the more important parts of the 2 minute video .
that reminds me of nintails from that japanese pokemon cartoon . it’s a fox with nine tails . . sometimes i wonder if the drawer / creator of pokemon seen unknown animals and drew them as pokemon or at least saw unknown animals and drew them and changed their looks a bit… you never know actually . i read that japanese has the strangest animals . maybe it’s true… . .
the male pine marten has a body length of 51 – 54 centimetres , a tail length of 26 – 27 centimetres and weigh 1 . 5 – 2 . 2 kilograms . the female pine marten has a body length of 46 – 54 centimetres , a tail length of 18 – 24 centimetres and weighs 0 . 9 – 1 . 5 kilograms . they are about the size of a domestic cat , with males being slightly larger and they have long bushy tails .
and is comprised of 56 species in 22 genera . members of this family include weasels , stoats , polecats , mink , marten , fishers , wolverines , otters , badgers and others . while many authors have traditionally considered skunks a subfamily within
one of the mammals we’re most likely to see in our afan woods up here in kurohime in the nagano prefecture hills is the japanese weasel ( mustela itatsi ) . these wonderful little animals , known as itachi in japanese , are master hunters that can run , climb trees , swim and dive and take down birds or other animals more than twice their size — which makes them pretty unpopular with chicken farmers !
the functions of carnivorous mammals as seed dispersers were studied during a snow - free period of 2 years in the subalpine shrubland of northern japan . mammal appearances , which were recorded using three automatic cameras , were dominated by japanese marten , martes melampus ( wagner ) , followed by three carnivores ( ermine , red fox , and raccoon dog ) and two other mammals ( field mouse and japanese hare ) . fecal analysis revealed that the martens dispersed seeds of 11 species ( eight woody and three herbaceous plants ) , which included a vine species that is an inhabitant of lower elevation sites . fruit weight and size , and flesh weight and volume of the fleshy - fruited species foraged by the martens were significantly greater than those that were not foraged . these facts indicate that the marten plays a key role as a relatively long - distance seed disperser for major component species with large and flesh - rich fruits in the subalpine shrubland .
miyai roy , mina . 1998 . evolving human attitudes and management policy in japanese wildlife management : a case study of the asiatic black bear ( ursus thibetanus japonicus ) . msc diss . , university of montana .
the japanese marten ( martes melampus ) , is found throughout the southern islands of the japanese archipelago , from honshu to kyushu , and have also been introduced to the northern island of hokkaido . males are around 45 to 49 cm ( 18 ~ 20 inches ) long , and females 41 to 43 cm ( 16 ~ 17 inches ) , with an additional 17 to 20 cm ( 6 . 5 ~ 8 inches ) added by the long tail . martens look very much like weasels , only larger and with a sturdier build . these animals are arboreal ( tree dwelling ) , highly agile , and good climbers , which fits in well with the raijū’s reputed fondness for trees and ability to jump between them .
pine marten habitats are usually well wooded areas , but also rocky hillsides , crags and scrub . pine martens usually make their own dens in hollow trees or scrub - covered fields , or obscured within fallen trees and roots . sometimes in cliffs , rock crevices or cairns .
another very common japanese expression is itachi gokko ( “weasel play” ) , which means to go on repeating the same things — a vicious circle . when on earth weasels are supposed to do this , i do not know .
abe h . , ishii n . , kaneko y . , maeda k . , miura s . & yoneda m . ( 1994 ) a pictorial guide to the mammals of japan . japan wildlife research center , tokyo ( in japanese ) .
catherine knight is an independent researcher , who is employed by day as an environmental policy analyst . her research focuses on new zealand and japanese environmental history . her doctoral thesis explored the human relationship with the asiatic black bear through japanese history [ available here ] . she is particularly interested in upland and lowland forest environments and how people have interacted with these environments through history . her publications can be viewed here . catherine also runs an online environmental history forum which explores new zealand’s environmental history .
interestingly , that scent gives rise to the japanese saying itachi no saigo - pei — which translates literally as “the weasel’s final fart , ” but is very often used to mean the last words or efforts of a usually unpopular or unsavory person .
habitat : mustelids can be found in a great diversity of habitats , including marine ( marine otter [ lontra felina ] and sea otter ) , rivers ( north american river otter [ lontra canadensis ] and spotted - necked otter ) , temperate forest ( european pine marten [ martes martes ] and american marten [ martes americana ] ) , dry open woodlands ( african striped weasel ) , and grasslands ( black - footed ferret [ mustela nigripes ] ) . some mustelids have very broad habitat preferences . for example , ermine and least weasels can be found from grasslands to woodlands and honey badgers from forests to deserts .
in that sense , perhaps now when someone sees for instance a japanese marten , they are more likely to see that animal for what it is , without the accompanying folklore and magical powers surrounding it . a good example of this shifting status is the japanese fox , which was once seen as a very mystical animal with many supernatural powers . in more ancient times , foxes would be described as doing all manner of magical things , and seeing one was hardly a mundane occurrence . yet in modern times , a fox is seen as just a fox , and thus there are no longer reports of the more folkloric version of the fox . many of the known animals once seen as magical are now perceived as more mundane . has some similar transformation happened with the animal or animals at the heart of the stories of raijū ?
danaher , michael . 1996 . what price the environment ? : an analysis of japanese public awareness of environmental issues . paper presented at the 1996 asian studies on the pacific coast ( aspac ) conference , university of alberta , edmonton , canada , june 21–23 1996 .
two subspecies of japanese marten have been described : m . m . melampus of honshu , shikoku , kyushu and adjacent islands , and m . m . tsuensis of the tsushima islands , which lie between kyushu and the korean peninsula ( masuda 2009 ) . it has been introduced on sado island and hokkaido ( masuda 2009 ) . it has been recorded in the southern korean peninsula but there are no locality details to prove a wild origin and no native population has been confirmed ( won and smith 1999 , abe 2005 ) . it has been found from sea level to 2 , 000 m asl .
like foxes and tanuki raccoon dogs , weasels in japanese legend are also believed to be shape - changers capable of metamorphosing into mischievous little monks . well in our woods we’ve seen lots of weasels , or the same weasels many times — but never yet any mischievous little monks .
miyawaki , a . 1975 . outline of japanese vegetation . pages 19 - 27 in k . numata , k . yoshida , and m . kato , editors . studies in conservation of natural terrestrial ecosystems in japan . jibpsynthesis volume 8 . university of tokyo press , tokyo , japan .
premier guitar is on location in chicago where rebecca dirks visits with kent eriksson , meshuggah ' s tech for guitarists fredrik thordendal , marten hagstrom , and bassist dick lovgren . he talks about their current live setups including signature 8 - string and 7 - string ibanez guitars and warwick basses , and how each member uses the fractal audio axe - fx .
japanese marten is found in forests , and can occur in suburban areas with sufficient trees . it
plays a key role as a relatively long - distance seed disperser for major component species with large and flesh - rich fruits in the subalpine scrubland
( otani 2002 ) . it forages on a wide variety of fruits ( otani 2002 ) but is presumably predominantly carnivorous . tatara ( 1994 ) used radio - telemetry to investigate japanese marten habitat selection , and showed that m . m . t s uensis preferred to forage and rest in deciduous and evergreen broad - leaved forests , and avoided coniferous plantations and open fields . for m . m . tsuensis forest edge was categorised as the most critical factor affecting home range size in relation to food and resting site availability . the race m . m . melampus was camera - trapped in the akaya area at elevations ranging from 609 - 1 , 687 m asl , indicating no affect of elevation ( hoshino et al . 2013 ) . on japan the species prefers broadleaved forest as its primary habitat , suggesting that it relies on the complexity of the forest structure for cover and fruiting trees . tatara ( 1994 ) found that on tsushima martens avoided areas with young trees and trees of low stature and preferred areas with mature and taller trees .
bear in mind that in japanese folklore , the fox , the badger , and other animals often appear in human form , and many of the most disturbing interactions with them were when they appeared human . it would be consistent with the legends for the raiju to still be around , but unrecognized .
mårten hagström ' s main guitar is a stock japanese ibanez m8m with alder body and lundgren m8 pickups , also tuned a half - step down with a foam mute , as well as an ibanez m8m with a swamp ash body ( pictured , middle ) for the first half of the set .
in part i of this series , we learned about this unique thunder beast and ended wondering what sort of flesh and blood animals such a seemingly fantastical creature could possibly be . let’s take a look at some of the possibilities and dig deeper into the potential biological origins of this creature of japanese folklore .
old world otters ( lutra , 2 species , found across much of europe and asia ) . larivère and jennings ( 2009 ) noted that the japanese otter is sometimes recognized as a distinct species , l . nippon , although they treated it as a subspecies of the eurasian otter ( l . lutra ) .
intensive trapping has seriously impacted populations of some mustelid species , such as the fisher and american marten , whose populations were severely reduced in many parts of their range in north america by the early 20th century . fur trapping brought the sea otter to the brink of extinction by the early 20th century , but conservation efforts resulted in significant population rebounds in the latter part of the century .
mccormack , gavan . 2007 .
modernity , water , and the environment in japan
, in william m . tsutsui , ed , a companion to japanese history , blackwell companions to world history , malden , ma , usa ; oxford , uk ; carlton , australia : blackwell publishing . 443 - 459 .
hazumi , toshihiro . 2006 . submission to the committee of the environment , diet of japan ( in japanese ) . from the transcription of proceedings of the 10th meeting of the committee of the environment , 164th session of the national diet , may 8 , 2006 . retrieved may 9 , 2006 from the diet meeting proceedings database .
11 see , ishikawa tetsuya nihon no shizen - hogo [ nature conservation in japan ] , tokyo , 2001 , 58–66 ; cath knight , veneration or destruction ? japanese ambivalence towards nature , with special reference to nature conservation , m . a . thesis , university of canterbury , 2004 , 56–9 for a discussion of this issue .
the endangered red - crowned , or japanese crane ( grus japonensis ) is considered a natural national monument - a symbol for happiness and longevity . the hokkaido red - crowned cranes are resident year - round on the lowland east coast of the island while the mainland populations of red - crowned cranes are migratory ( swenger 1996 ) .
originally , spirits were a major part of all religions . belief in spirits continued to be common in all societies , regardless of religion , until spirits were replaced by modern science . the religions of many tribal societies are still based on spirits , and spirit religion ( such as japanese shinto ) is still important in some modern societies .
data from the “red data lists” compiled by the japanese ministry of the environment ( moe ) provide an indication of the state of japan’s native flora and fauna . the red data list , a list of endangered species , was first compiled by the environment agency in 1991 and subsequently updated according to iucn ( world conservation union ) criteria .
pine martens reach sexual maturity at 2 or 3 years of age . the young are usually born in march or april after a one month gestation period in litters of 1 to 5 . young pine martens weigh around 30 grams at birth . the young begin to emerge out of their dens by the middle of june and are fully independent around 6 months after their birth . the male pine marten plays no part in rearing the young .
another generally arboreal mustelid that seems to fit descriptions of the raijū is the japanese sable ( martes zebellina brachyurus ) , which is closely related to the marten . these animals are around 38 ~ 56 cm ( 15 ~ 22 inches ) long for males and 35 ~ 51 cm ( 14 ~ 20 inches ) for females . they have somewhat long , bushy tails , ranging from 9 ~ 12 cm ( 3 . 5 ~ 5 inches ) , that are used for balance when climbing . the sable has had a reputation in japan for being particularly bad tempered and aggressive , which could help account for the raijū’s purported viciousness . although the sable’s range is restricted to the northern island of hokkaido , perhaps they were once found farther south as well . there may have even possibly been a new subspecies of sable endemic to southern japan .
in light of this information , it seems at least worth considering that the raijū legend could possibly have its basis in some type of arboreal mustelid or a creature very much like one , exhibiting known animal behaviors . perhaps these very real animals at some point became entwined with the japanese perceptions of storms and lightning , and thus were inextricably linked with lore concerning these weather phenomena .
in light of this information , it seems at least worth considering that the raijū legend could possibly have its basis in some type of arboreal mustelid or a creature very much like one , exhibiting known and documented animal behaviors . perhaps these very real animals at some point became entwined with the japanese perceptions of storms and lightning , and thus were inextricably linked with lore concerning these weather phenomena .
however , in japanese and japan’s legends , weasels are often given the mucky end of the stick . it was believed that seeing a weasel was an omen of bad luck , even death — while someone might be called a “weasel ( itachi ) ” if they are thought to be the sort who swaggers with bravado when there’s nobody else stronger or superior in status around . wild weasels don’t do that .
although they are preyed upon occasionally by golden eagles and even more rarely by red foxes , humans are the largest threat to pine martens . martens are prized for their very fine fur and loss of habitat leading to fragmentation , persecution by gamekeepers , human disturbance , illegal poisoning and shooting have caused a considerable decline in the pine marten’s population . in the united kingdom , pine martens and their dens are offered full protection under the wildlife and countryside act ( 1981 ) and the environmental protection act .
habitat loss and degradation , in the form of continued agricultural and industrial development constitute the principal threats to red - crowned cranes in hokkaido . however , two active habitat management measures have allowed the japanese red - crowned crane population to increase : winter feeding stations and the installation of conspicuous markers on utility lines . this latter action has reduced the rate of mortality from collisions approximately 60 % ( swengel 1996 ) .
as to your question about the mysteries adjacent to japan . korea does have some mysteries similar to japan . for instance , the cryptid snake tsuchinoko is said to inhabit the mountains of korea , and some of the folkloric entities resemble japanese yokai ( mythical monsters and ghosts ) , some of which could be based on the cryptozoological . perhaps even more than korea , china has some very interesting similarities with japan in its fantastic beasts . for instance , china has its own creature reminiscent of japan’s bird - man tengu , and chinese mermaids are similar to japanese ones in some respects . there are other folkloric animals with possible cryptozoological connections as well . china even has its own version of these thunder beasts i’ve been talking about here . a lot of this is very likely due to the cultural influence china had on japan .
cooler skin temperatures were observed in 10 adult males during the initial month in antarctica when exposed to a standard cold stress of 10°c for 2 hours as compared to results in australia . this type of adaptation is called insulative adaptation . it is however difficult to exclude the effect of fatter food in arctic and antarctic areas on skin insulation in this type of research . this confounder was not present in a nice study of imamura . 91 she exposed japanese women to the cold japanese winter with mini - skirts or long skirts . in mini - skirts the legs were more exposed to cold than in long skirts . using mri she showed that the subjects with mini - skirts developed more fat at the legs at the end of the winter period . the studies did not report on changes in vasoconstriction capacity , influencing the active insulative properties of the body .
deforestation had already taken a toll on japan’s wildlife by the meiji period ( 1868–1912 ) , particularly in honshu , pushing a number of species , such as the japanese wolf ( canis lupus hodophylax ) and the japanese red - crowned crane ( grus japonensis ) , to extinction or to the brink of extinction ( stewart - smith 1987 : 127 ; knight 1997 ) . 6 extensive logging of indigenous forest and afforestation with single - species tree plantations has destroyed or degraded the forest habitat for many forest dwelling species , particularly in the post - war era . when reforested with commercial plantations , the monocultures of planted trees allow few indigenous plant species to colonise , and have little to offer animals such as the macaque ( macaca fuscata ) , asiatic black bear ( ursus thibetanus ) , and the japanese serow ( capricornis crispus , an antelope - like ungulate ) ( stewart - smith 1987 ; maita 1998 : 38–44 ; hazumi 1999 ; nacsj 2003 ; knight 2003 : 35–36 ; 119–120 ; 160 ) . to adapt to their depleted habitat and food sources , these species have changed their behaviour to include eating shoots of young plantation trees and the raiding of farm crops ( hazumi 1999 : 208 ; knight 2003 : 191–192 ) . this makes them vulnerable to being culled as agricultural and forestry pests .
was designated a vulnerable natural monument species by the japanese agency of cultural affairs in 1971 ( buskirk 1994 ) , which supported its classification as vulnerable by the iucn ( hilton - taylor 2000 ) . this subspecies is now legally protected on the tsushima islands ( schreiber et al . 1989 ) . although the tsushima islands are 88 % forested , 34 % of the forest is conifer plantation . this poses a challenge , because important foods of
potentially : competition and hybridization with sable on hokkaido . actually : predatoin on native hare . native organism ( s ) affected : sable mertes zibellina in hokkaido , potentially competitive and / or hybridizing with m . melampus . japanese hare lepus branchyurus in sadogashima ( sometimes treated as an endemic subspecies l . b . lyoni ) , declined by predation by m . melampus . as a result , the hare on sadogashima has been listed in the red data book of niigata pref .
this book brings together a wonderful selection of wave and ripple designs produced by the japanese artist mori yuzan , about whom not a lot is known , apart from that he hailed from kyoto , worked in the nihonga style , and died in 1917 ( which would make this a posthumous collection ) . similar work is also collected in hamon shu ( wave patterns ) , a multi - volume work brought out at the beginning of the 20th century . both these works would have acted as a kind of go - to guide for japanese craftsmen looking to adorn their wares with wave and ripple patterns . the designs would have found their way onto swords ( both blades and handles ) and associated paraphernalia ( known as “sword furniture” ) , as well as lacquerware , netsuke , religious objects , and a host of other items . peruse the pages above and also see some of our favourites below , including the excellent triple - page composite image featured near the end .
martens and fisher ( martes , 8 species ; various species are found in north america , europe , and asia ; in the 1950s , the stone marten [ m . foina ] , of central and southern europe and asia , was accidentally introduced to wisconsin in the united states , where it is now established at multiple localities ) . larivère and jennings ( 2009 ) noted that , in the context of recent data indicating that the genus martes as currently formulated is paraphyletic unless the fisher ( m . pennanti ) is excluded ( koepfli et al . 2008 and references therein ) , it has been proposed that the fisher be placed in its own genus , pekania .
juveniles try to establish territories shortly after becoming sexually mature . home range of male japanese martens averaged 0 . 70 square km and females averaged 0 . 63 square km with less than 10 % overlap between any 2 home ranges ( buskirk 1994 ) . relatively small home range sizes may depend on abundance and distribution of food within preferred habitat . scats were found primarily in home range peripheries in a doughnut - shaped distribution . scat placement confirms active maintenance of boundaries by scent marking , a common social behavior in mustelids ( tatara and doi 1994 ) .
the intensive use of agricultural chemicals since the second world war has caused contamination of soil and waterways , and has made farmland , marshland and other lowland areas uninhabitable for a number of species , causing the extinction of some , including the japanese crested ibis ( nipponia nippon ) . 7 fertiliser and pesticide application levels in japan are higher than those in almost all other oecd countries , partly because of the relatively hot , wet climate and intensive cropping , although it has been decreasing in line with overall reduction of crop production over the last decade ( oecd 2002 : 139 ) .
badgers , another mustelid , are also found in japan , however several factors tend to argue against this creature as a possible explanation for raijū in general . badgers are a terrestrial animal that burrows rather than climbing trees like the apparently arboreal raijū . in addition , badgers have already long been firmly entrenched in folklore , and therefore it would be unlikely that anyone would mistake one for a completely different entity altogether . the reputation of the badger as one of the most notorious tricksters in japanese folklore also means that it is perhaps unlikely that anyone would attempt to capture one and keep it around in a cage .
the ermine , least weasel , and long - tailed weasel ( mustela frenata ) completely change their coats between summer and winter , with a dramatic change from brown to white in the northern parts of the range and at high elevations ( in other areas , the summer coat is dark ) . interestingly , ermine and long - tailed weasels retain the black tail tip in the winter , which experiments have suggested may focus the attention of potential predators away from the body as a weasel makes its escape . japanese weasels ( mustela itatsi ) replace their dark brown summer coat with a much paler yellowish one in the winter .
invasion of natural habitats by alien species is a further factor putting pressure on indigenous species , particularly in unique island environments . introduced species including raccoon , weasel , marten , common mongoose , black bass and bluegill , disturb ecosystems through predation , occupation of habitats and hybridisation . for example , the black bass , which can grow to 87 centimetres in length and weigh up to 10 kilograms , was introduced in 1925 and has now spread throughout japan’s waterways . a few bluegill , introduced in 1960 , have also spread widely throughout the country . these fish are putting pressure on the populations of native species , such as the southern top - mouthed minnow , deep crucian carp , and the northern and flat bitterling ( oecd 2002 : 135 ; watanabe 2002 ) .
or is the raijū based on a type of primate ? the only species of primate found naturally in japan is the japanese macaque ( macaca fuscata ) which are found throughout the archipelago , except the northern island of hokkaido . these macaques are semi arboreal , spending about equal amounts of time on the ground and in trees . they are also known to leap quite well and could be responsible for the shrieking sounds sometimes associated with raijū , which were also occasionally described as looking like a monkey . it’s possible that macaques , or even an unknown species of primate could have been the basis of raijū tales , however , the majority of descriptions give a weasel or badger like appearance that seems more consistent with a mustelid .
guitars & basses fredrik thordendal ' s main guitar for this tour is an 8 - string ibanez custom shop
stone man
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scale guitar built on his own design ( pictured , left ) , incorporating elements of the fireman , firebrand , and explorer guitars with flying v knob placement . it has lundgren m8 bridge and neck pickups with a coil split . he also uses the japanese version of his signature ibanez m8m , which is a 29 . 4
scale length . he uses a foam mute after the locking nut on all of his guitars . the 8 - strings are tuned a half - step down , and he experiments with string gauges to get the feel that he ' s looking for .
these two japanese great tit nestlings came from the same nest . the difference in their size is likely the result of their mother starting to incubate the eggs having not completed the clutch . this means that earlier laid eggs would hatch earlier and so gain a head start on their brood mates and lead to a size hierarchy . this hierarchy remains throughout development and has many consequences for the birds as they become independent from their parents and recruit into the breeding population . many explanations have been suggested for the mother initiating incubation before her clutch is complete . i am working on some exciting data i have gathered on this problem which i hope will increase our understanding the behavioural mechanisms that lead to size hierarchies within nests . barnett & suzuki . unpublished data .
a recent tragedy in north korea illustrates how serious an ecological mistake can be . several million people have died of starvation during the past five years because of agricultural failure due to floods . the causes are complex , but deforestation seems to be a major part of the story . deforestation started 100 years ago with the exploitation of korea’s forests by japanese colonialism , and it continued with the partitioning of korea after world war ii . because the north was the industrial region of korea and the south the agricultural region , isolation of the north forced it to increase its food production by expanding agriculture into forest lands . large - scale use of wood for household and industrial fuel , and logging of trees for timber export , reduced the forest in the north even further .
the precautionary principle has become a major instrument for elaborating environmental policies . it reflects common sense . a japanese zen proverb says : ‘the care with which a blind man crosses a log bridge is a good example of how we should live our lives . ’ the probing of a blind man is similar to the assessment process in adaptive development described in chapter 11 . while the precautionary principle can contribute to ecological health and sustainability over a broad spectrum of human - ecosystem interaction , its implementation is far from straightforward in a social system strongly committed to maximum possible exploitation of ecosystem resources and services . the simple wisdom of the precautionary principle is counter to the prevailing ethos of the modern global economy , which rewards entrepreneurial boldness and portrays confidence in economic growth as an ultimate virtue .
known animal behavior seems to parallel some of that displayed in raijū lore . tales of raijū leaping from tree to tree match up well with the sort of behavior exhibited by an arboreal predator such as the marten and sable , or a creature like the macaque . it is also quite possible that the storms with which raijū are associated could further agitate some animals and even cause them to panic . many animals are able to sense changes in barometric pressure , ozone concentrations , and humidity before a storm , and can demonstrate a wide range of behaviors in response , including increased uneasiness or agitation . there is also the additional element of booming thunder and lightning , which can cause a fear response in some animals , as anyone who has owned dogs can surely attest to . it seems plausible that storm conditions such as these could on occasion cause an arboreal animal to panic , dash about , leap from tree to tree , or otherwise show signs of the increased state of agitation present in raijū accounts during foul weather .
the consumption of wp is known to acutely reduce the postprandial glucose response in both healthy [ 23 - 26 ] and t2d subjects [ 27 ] . wp also improves the insulin response in lean individuals [ 24 , 28 ] and diabetics [ 27 ] . in healthy japanese subjects , the consumption of wph induces greater insulin stimulation than intact wp [ 22 ] . the consumption of wp 30 minutes prior to a carbohydrate - rich meal stimulates insulin and incretin secretion more than wp as part of a mixed meal in t2d subjects [ 29 ] . these results indicate that wp acutely improves glycemic control by stimulating insulin secretion , and reduces plasma glucose levels , an effect that may be enhanced by consumption of wp prior to meal . thus , in healthy adults , wp contributes to an insulin - independent reduction of blood glucose concentration [ 26 ] .
known animal behavior seems to parallel some of that displayed in raijū lore . tales of raijū leaping from tree to tree match up well with the sort of behavior exhibited by an arboreal predator such as the marten and sable , or a creature like the macaque . it is also quite possible that the storms with which raijū are associated could further agitate some animals and even cause them to panic . many animals are able to sense changes in barometric pressure , ozone concentrations , and humidity before a storm , and can demonstrate a wide range of behaviors in response , including increased uneasiness or agitation . there is also the additional element of booming thunder and lightning , which can cause a fear response in some animals , as anyone who has owned dogs can surely attest to . it seems plausible that storm conditions such as these could on occasion cause an arboreal animal to panic , dash about , leap from tree to tree , or otherwise show signs of the increased state of agitation or even the aggression present in raijū accounts during foul weather .
the japanese archipelago consists of almost 4000 islands with a combined coastline of approximately 33 , 000 kilometres ( organisation for economic cooperation and development ( oecd ) 2002 : 136 ) . japan’s topography is characterised by mountainous regions , which cover 75 per cent of the land area . before human activity impacted on the environment , japan was for the most part covered in forest : subtropical forest in the southern part of honshu , shikoku and kyushu , as well as the southern islands ; temperate forests through the remainder of honshu ; and boreal forests in hokkaido and the highlands of honshu . on flatter ground , in river valleys or natural basins , bog vegetation predominated : consisting of rushes , grasses and small trees ( bowring & kornicki 1993 : 13–14 ) . there was a complex network of fast - flowing rivers across the archipelago , feeding into numerous lakes .
at the time of the review of the family mustelidae by larivère and jennings ( 2009 ) , the iucn listed seven mustelid species as endangered ( giant otter , marine otter , southern river otter [ lontra provocax ] , sea otter , hairy - nosed otter [ lutra sumatrana ] , european mink , and black - footed ferret ) ; five as vulnerable ( nilgiri marten [ martes gwatkinsii ] , marbled polecat , asian small - clawed otter [ aonyx cinereus ] , smooth - coated otter , and colombian weasel [ mustela felipei ] ) ; and four as near threatened ( hog badger , wolverine , eurasian otter , and mountain weasel [ mustela altaica ] ) . of the remaining species , 35 were listed as least concern and six as data deficient . in fact , so little is known about most mustelid species that reliable status assessments are difficult . the colombian weasel ( mustela felipei ) was described only in 1978 ( izor and de la torre 1978 ) and may be the rarest carnivore in south america ( ramírez - chaves et al . 2012 ) .
the adaptive significance of personality : animals are said to have personalities when individuals behave consistently in one way which may be different from other individuals . animal personalities have now been documented in over 60 species of animals . this creates problems for the study of animal behaviour because personality traits reduce the amount of behavioural variability within individuals . therefore , one of the main foci of current research is to establish how different animal personalities benefit animals . i have studied the relations between different behavioural traits ( e . g . , aggressiveness and boldness ) and animals wider behavioural phenotype ( e . g . , parental care ) in house wrens . i have also examined the links between behavioural types in north island robins and their responses to unfamiliar people ( listen to a short interview on this research here ) . i continue to work on the relations between various personality traits and and animals’ wider behavioural phenotypes in house wrens and japanese great tits .
a further weakness of the japanese natural park system is that the ministry of the environment ( formerly the environmental agency ) does not have sole jurisdiction over these areas . twenty - six per cent of national park land and 40 per cent of natural park land is privately owned . in addition , of the 62 per cent of national park land , and 46 per cent of natural park land that is state - owned , much of this is under the primary jurisdiction of the forestry agency or other agencies with industrial or economic interests in the land . conflicts of interest between the ministry of the environment and agencies which have an economic interest in a park ( for example , through mining and forestry ) are not uncommon , further compromising the conservation function of natural parks . 11 an example of this is the shiretoko logging case , where the forestry agency’s core objective , to generate income from forestry , clashed with the interests of nature conservation . 12
the risk of introduced species significantly changing endemic biota and ecosystems is especially high on islands such as amami and okinawa , which are isolated from other regions and are habitat to a large number of endemic species ( oecd 2002 : 135 ) . several threatened species are known or expected to be negatively affected by the introduction of predators ( primarily for snake control ) to these islands . on the izu islands , the introduction of the siberian weasel ( mustela sibirica ) to miyake - jima in the 1970s and 1980s appears to have caused significant declines in japanese night - herons ( gorsachius goisagi ) and izu thrushes ( turdus celaenops ) . on okinawa , feral dogs and cats and the introduced javan mongoose ( herpestes javanicus ) and weasel ( mustela itatsi ) are predators of okinawa rail ( gallirallus okinawae ) , ryukyu woodcock ( scolopax mira ) and okinawa woodpecker ( sapheopipo noguchii ) , while feral pigs damage potential ground - foraging sites for okinawa woodpecker ( birdlife international n . d . ; mcgill 1992 ) .