Artist's rendering of a typical silkhenge structure

Silkhenge structures are a means of spider reproduction used by one or more currently-unknown species of spider. It typically consists of a central "spire" constructed of spider silk, containing one to two eggs, surrounded by a sort of fence of silk in a circle.[1]

Discovery

In August 2013, Georgia Tech student Troy Alexander[1] was visiting Tambopata National Reserve in Peru. He found, under a tarpaulin, a tiny bit of silk in a circular pattern one inch wide. Searching around, he found three more. He posted a picture[2] on Reddit asking for help identifying it. No information was forthcoming, as this turned out to be a completely unknown phenomenon. His discovery acquired the name "silkhenge" because of its similarity to Stonehenge.

At the end of that year, an eight-day expedition led by Phil Torres found dozens more examples of this phenomenon, generally on the trunks of bamboo and cecropia trees.[3][4][5] Spiderlings hatching from the structures were documented, but like many baby arthropods they lacked the features typically used to identify adults, and none lived to adulthood. DNA tests were also inconclusive, so the species creating these structures remained unidentified. A video was posted on YouTube of spiderlings hatching.[6][7]

Among the hypothesized reasons for the fence were the possibilities that it is intended to trap mites that live in the same environment, as food for the hatchlings, or that it protects the egg and baby spider from ants.[8][4][5]

References

  1. 1 2 "Mystery Picket Fence in Amazon Explained". National Geographic News. 9 January 2014. Archived from the original on June 25, 2020.
  2. ↑ "r/whatsthisbug - Seriously, who makes egg cases like this? Just under 2cm across, Southern Peruvian Amazon". reddit. August 28, 2013.
  3. ↑ Drake, Nadia (December 20, 2013). "We Went to the Amazon to Find Out What Makes These Weird Web-Tower Things". Wired.
  4. 1 2 Phil Torres (December 21, 2013). "Weird web tower in the Amazon: Silkhenge Spider - Mystery solved". Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  5. 1 2 Torres, Phil (2012-12-22). "We Solved An Amazon Rainforest Mystery (w/Video)". Rainforest Expeditions. Retrieved January 2, 2024.
  6. ↑ d'Estries, Michael (August 23, 2019). "Mysterious 'Silkhenge Spider' Is a Master Architect". Treehugger.
  7. ↑ Drake, Nadia (15 December 2016). "Watch Baby Spiders Emerge From Mysterious 'Silkhenge' Structures". National Geographic News. Archived from the original on July 14, 2020.
  8. ↑ "Mystery Picket Fence in Amazon Explained". National Geographic Society Newsroom. January 9, 2014. Archived from the original on November 8, 2020. Retrieved 5 January 2021.


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