| Abstrak/Abstract |
In this communication, we report important preliminary evidence for possibly the toughest egg case silk threads recorded to date spun by the hermit spider, Nephilengys cruentata (G ΒΌ193 MJm?3).We further elucidate that the egg case itself is woven with a specialised repeat cross-weave that when subjected to tension, drives perpendicular-to-force threads to pile. This piling of threads constrains damage to small areas and retains the architectural integrity of the surrounding egg case material. We deduce that by having ultra-tough threads coupled to a tear resistant architecture, N. cruentata is able to protect its eggs from predators with a considerable level of effectiveness |
