Stats

Lifespan

1-2 yrs

Size

Large

Diet

Carnivore

Activity

Cathemeral

Social

Solitary

Biome

Freshwater wetland

Range

North America

Movement

Walking

Breeding

Egg-laying

Defense

Camouflage

Status

Uncommon

About

A large semi-aquatic spider that hunts by resting its legs on the water's surface to detect ripples from prey, then dashes across the water to seize insects, tadpoles, or even small fish. Its body bears six pale spots along the underside, giving the species its common name.

Life cycle

1. 1.
   egg sac

   A silk-wrapped egg sac shelters a clutch of eggs until the young are ready to emerge.
2. 2.
   juvenile

   A spiderling emerges from the egg sac already in miniature adult form and starts catching prey almost immediately.
3. 3.
   subadult

   A near-adult arachnid molts through several instars, growing larger and developing mature markings.
4. 4.
   adult

   Fully grown after its final molt.

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Taxonomy

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Arachnida

Order

Araneae

Family

Dolomedidae

Genus

Dolomedes

Species

Dolomedes triton