Poltys (spider)
| Poltys | |
|---|---|
| Poltys mouhoti | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Araneomorphae |
| Family: | Araneidae |
| Genus: | Poltys C. L. Koch, 1843 |
| Type species | |
| Poltys illepidus C. L. Koch, 1843 | |
| Species | |
|
43, see text | |
Poltys is a genus of orb-weaver spiders first described by C. L. Koch in 1843. Many species are cryptic and are known to masquerade as leaves and twigs during the day, with the shape of the abdomen giving it the impression of a rough and broken branch, and the shape can vary among individuals within a species, promoting crypsis.
As an orb-weaver, these spiders build an orb web at night to capture prey; the web is eaten up before dawn and reconstructed after dusk.