Many people are terrified of spiders and find them extremely creepy. However, most spiders are completely harmless and benefit our environment by controlling the insect population. This article provides insights into identifying some of the spider species found in Morocco.
Before we begin, it's important to note that the list below represents just a fraction of the spiders in Morocco. Due to the sheer number of these arachnids, it would be impossible to cover them all.
As a result of an examination of a small, recent collection, new faunistic and taxonomic data on the spiders of Morocco are provided. A total of 20 species from 12 families were identified, including five species newly described herein: Gorbiscape amazighus sp. nov. (; MarrakechSafi Region) [Agelenidae], Liocranum atlasicum sp. nov. (; MarrakechSafi Region) [Liocranidae], Zelotes maroccanus sp. nov. (; TangerTtouanAl Houceima Region), Z. reuteri sp. nov. (; MarrakechSafi Region) [Gnaphosidae], and Zodarion neblibohakrostorum sp. nov. (; TangerTtouanAl Houceima Region) [Zodariidae]. Ballus chalybeius (Walckenaer, 1802) [Salticidae] and the genus Liocranum L. Koch, 1866 are newly recorded from Morocco, while Psilochorus simoni (Berland, 1911) [Pholcidae] is recorded in Africa for the first time. Additionally, photographic illustrations and SEM images are provided for Lycosoides murphyorum Bosmans, 2022 [Agelenidae] and Rhode scutiventris Simon, 1882 [Dysderidae]. Finally, four species are transferred from Agelena Walckenaer, 1805 [Agelenidae] to Gorbiscape Zamani & Marusik, 2020: G. canariensis (Lucas, 1838) comb. nov. from the Canary Islands and Northwest Africa, and G. gomerensis (Wunderlich, 1992) comb. nov., G. gonzalezi (Schmidt, 1980) comb. nov. and G. tenerifensis (Wunderlich, 1992) comb. nov.
Have you been to Morocco? This country is known for its rich blend of cultures, and, of course, its distinctive wildlife. Morocco has snowy mountains, terrains, and desert plains, which explains why there are different spider species in the country.
Cebrennus rechenbergi - the flic-flac spider
Notable Spider Species in Morocco
Here are some of the spiders you might encounter in Morocco:
Read also: Spiders in Egypt
1. Brown Widow
- Identification: The coloring is mottled tan and brown with black accent markings. On the sides of the abdomen, there are three diagonal stripes.
- Venom: The Brown Widow employs a neurotoxic venom, causing pain, muscle rigidity, vomiting, and sweating.
- Habitat: Females create webs in isolated, safe locations near houses and branch-heavy woods.
- Unique Trait: One of the easiest ways to identify these spiders in Morocco is to look for their egg sacs.
2. Tropical Tent-web Spider
- Size: Females are 10 to 15 mm (0.3-0.5 in) long.
- Color: Color variations in females are typical - some are brown, while others have black and white markings on their abdomen.
- Web: The Tropical Tent-web Spider makes an unusual web that resembles mesh curtains. Prey is deflected onto the orb-web by a network of threads that support the orb-web and form a tent. This species spends most of its time on its complex web.
- Behavior: These spiders can be hard to find in Morocco because they are nocturnal, which keeps them hidden from predators throughout the day.
- Hunting: Tropical Tent-web spiders catch prey in three distinct phases. In the initial stage, the spider bites or wraps its prey in silk to incapacitate it. Then, they remove it from the web itself and carry the prey to the hub of the web. Finally, once they reach the safety of the center of the web, they consume their meal.
3. Banded Garden Spider
- Also Known As: Banded Orb Weaving Spider.
- Appearance: This species has an oval abdomen and bright body markings. The back of the abdomen is pale yellow with silvery hairs and lateral bands of black stripes. Males are usually paler, sometimes even white.
- Size: Adult females are around 13 to 14.5 mm (0.51-0.57 in) long. Males are considerably smaller, reaching only ⅓ of the females’ length.
- Web: The Banded Garden Spider builds an enormous web, typically around 60 cm (23.6 in) in diameter. The web itself is sticky and strong, able to hold very large insects like wasps and grasshoppers. One interesting feature of their webs is the so-called “stabilimentum,” a vertical zigzag pattern made from dense silk. Researchers think this feature is a way to attract insects that the Banded Garden spider eats.
- Behavior: The female can usually be found resting at the center of the web, facing downwards. They face their webs east-to-west to take advantage of the rising and setting sun and hang in the center with their dark underside facing south. All this allows them to gain as much warmth as possible, enabling them to stay active later in the year.
- Bite: These spiders rarely bite humans in Morocco and are not aggressive. If disturbed, they may drop from the center of their web.
4. Adanson’s House Jumper
- Appearance: Males have more colorful bodies, with black abdomen color and two white crescents on their bodies. Both sexes have long legs covered with spines and hairs.
- Habitat: The Adanson’s House Jumper lives in warm climates all over Morocco. Although they can reuse their nests, they usually build new ones each night. Their webs are relatively small, about twice the size of the spider.
- Social Behavior: The Adanson’s House Jumper is quite sociable and can be seen grouped in bigger numbers.
- Hunting: One of the most interesting traits of this species is its ability to jump incredible distances. They hunt by leaping several centimeters onto their prey, grabbing them, and injecting venom by bite.
5. Half-edged Jumping Spider
- Eyes: Large, forward-facing eyes.
- Habitat: Half-edged Jumping Spiders seem to benefit from the artificial environments created by backyard gardens. Look for them on flat surfaces, such as the sides of buildings or fence posts, which provide perfect areas for them to hunt prey. They are even comfortable living inside houses.
- Webs: Like all jumping spiders, this species does not make webs. Instead, Half-edged Wall Jumping Spiders have excellent eyesight to locate their next meal.
6. Pink Crab Spider
- Size: Females measure 7-11 mm (0.27-0.43 in).
- Color: Females are pink, yellow, or white.
- Hunting: Pink Crab Spiders don’t use webs to catch their prey. Instead, they sit and wait inside flowers for something to eat. Once a suitable victim comes by, they use their long forelegs to ambush it and make the kill.
- Mutualism: Lastly, they have developed a mutualistic relationship with certain plant species as these spiders feed on and help deter harmful insects.
7. Lobed Argiope
- Size: Females are large and grow up to 25 mm (0.98 in) long.
- Appearance: In addition to being incredibly large, they have a unique body shape and coloration that makes them stand out.
- Web: Make sure to look at the center of their web, as you should see a zigzag stabilimenta, which is a silk-shaped web decoration. Scientists aren’t exactly sure what the purpose is of having a stabilimenta, but the dominant theory is that it helps attract insects to the web by reflecting UV light.
8. Pantropical Jumping Spider
- Habitat: Pantropical Jumping Spiders live near buildings, in citrus groves, and in cotton fields.
- Webs: Unlike many spiders in Morocco, Pantropical Jumping Spiders do not construct a web. Instead, they construct silken retreats, often in the corner of a ceiling or other elevated position.
- Bite: Although they look incredibly dangerous, Pantropical Jumping Spiders will only bite if handled roughly. Their bites are relatively harmless and may resemble a bee sting or be even milder.
9. Napoleon Spider
- Identification: Look closely at the black pattern on the back of the Napoleon Spider. If you use your imagination, can you see the silhouette of Napoleon wearing his iconic hat?
- Habitat: To find these spiders in Morocco, look for them on flowering plants waiting for their prey.
10. Radiated Wolf Spider
- Hunting: Radiated Wolf Spiders do not make webs to catch their prey. Instead, they wait for an insect to walk by and then chase it down using their incredible eyesight!
- Bite: Wolf Spiders bite if provoked but do not always inject venom. Therefore, they are not considered dangerous to humans.
Moroccan Flic-Flac Spider (Cebrennus rechenbergi)
- Habitat: This species of huntsman spider is indigenous to the sand dunes of the Erg Chebbi desert in Morocco.
- Defense Mechanism: If provoked or threatened, it can escape by doubling its normal walking speed using forward or backward flips similar to acrobatic flic-flac movements used by gymnasts.
- Discovery: The spider is named after its discoverer, Ingo Rechenberg, bionics professor at the Technische Universität Berlin.
- Size: Male bodies measure 13.8 to 19.0 mm (0.54 to 0.75 in) long; female bodies measure 19 to 19.5 mm (0.75 to 0.77 in) long.
- Behavior: The Moroccan flic-flac spider is nocturnal and is known to feed on moths before sunrise. It spends the hot desert days in its cool burrow in the sand protected from the sun and predators.
- Inspiration for Robotics: Rechenberg's discovery of the flic-flac spider inspired the development of a biomimetic robot based on the rolling spider locomotion.
Read also: A Guide to South African Spiders
Read also: Identifying Spiders in Kenya
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