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UV induced Eye Fluorescence in Spiders

My friends in Singapore introduced me to UV induced fluorescence in scorpions. Back in the US - I noted that some spider eyes fluoresce. Now I'm developing a catalog of fluorescing eyes in spider I encounter. My setup is simple - a DSLR, Macro Lens (Tamron 90mm), UV torch (flashlight) 365 nm) and hope the spiders are docile.
November 21, 2016: Neoscona domiciliorum in UV light

Flash illumination of Neoscona domiciliorum

nov 20 3925 neoscona eyes flash

UV illumination of Neoscona domiciliorum

UV illumination of the dorsal design

nov 20 3932 neoscona dorsal fluorescence uv

Eye with flash illumination

nov 20 3939 neoscona eye flash

Eye with UV illumination

nov 20 3947 neoscona eye fluorescence uv

Neoscona eye with UV illumination

nov 20 3947 neoscona eyes fluroescence uv

Neoscona eye with UV illumination

nov 20 3957 neoscona eye fluorescence uv

Dorsal design fluorescence

nov 20 3965 neoscona dorsal fluorescence uv

Dorsal design - flash

nov 20 3975 neoscona dorsal flash

Dorsal design fluorescence

nov 20 3976 neoscona dorsal fluorescence

November 02, 2016: Mecaphesa celer fluorescence

Found a couple of crab spiders, Mecaphesa celer - and brought them home to test fluorescence

Here is flashlight illumination

nov 02 3105 mecaphesa celer light

Eyes of Mecaphesa celer

nov 02 3105 mecaphesa celer light eyes

UV illumination refeals fluorescence of the cephalothorax, eyes, legs and some small circles of fluorescence on the dorsal abdomen

nov 02 3106 mecaphesa celer uv

Eyes of Mecaphesa celer Note the dorsal eyes show blue fluorescence

nov 02 3106 mecaphesa celer uv eyes

Dorsal view of fluorescing crab spider

nov 02 3124 mecaphesa celer uv

Eyes of Mecaphesa celer

nov 02 3124 mecaphesa celer uv eyes

Oct 30, 2016, Fish Hawk Preserve Pisaurina sp. Flash illumination of nursery web spider

oct 30 2939 Pisauridae flash

Agelenopsis sp. Flash illumination

oct 30 2979 agelenopsis cree

Agelenopsis sp. UV illumination of funnel web spider - revealing fluorescing eyes

oct 30 2976 agelenopsis uv

Cree bicycle light illumination of Pisaurina sp.

oct 30 2986 Pisauridae cree

UV illumination of Pisaurina sp. reveals eye fluorescence

oct 30 2987 Pisauridae uv

CREE bicycle light illumination of Pisaurina sp.

oct 30 3003 Pisauridae cree

UV illumination of Pisaurina sp. reveals fluorescing eyes (retinal proteins?)

oct 30 3011 uv Pisauridae

Using CREE LED illumination, here is Micrathena sagittata

oct 27 2823 2828 micrathena sagittata stack

Another view

oct 27 2823 2829 micrathena sagittata stack

Here is Micrathena sagittata displaying eye fluorescence.

oct 25 2794 micrathena sagittata

Flashlight CREE LED illumination of Micrathena sagittata

oct 25 2823 2828 micrathena sagittata stack

Here is 365 nm UV illumination - note the eys fluoresce as well as the base of the horns. The yellow abdominal surface fluoresces a greenish hue

oct 25 2835 micrathena sagittata uv

Theridion sp. Guarding her egg sac

oct 25 2721 Theridion guarding

UV induced fluoresence in Theridion eyes

oct 25 2726 Theridion eyes fluoresce

Another view - not all eyes fluoresce in this image

oct 25 2742 Theridion eyes fluoresce

Here two eyes fluoresce and two do not. Probably a function of where I direct the torch.

oct 25 2746 Theridion eyes fluoresce

Gasteracantha crancriformis with led illumination

oct 25 2858 gasteracantha

No obvious fluorescence with G. crancriformis

oct 25 2860 gasteracantha uv no fluorescence

October 18, 2016: Fluorescence of a wolf spider

Flash illumination of the wolf spider Lycosidae

oct 18 3532 wolf cree face

Cree 365 nm illumination of the wolf spider Lycosidae

oct 18 3529 wolf UV face

October 16, 2016: Arrowhead and UV induced fluorescence

Flash illumintion of Verrucosa arenata, Arrowhead Spider

oct 16 2105 arrowhead cree light

Eye fluorescence in Verrucosa arenata

oct 16 2103 arrowhead eyes UV

October 03, 2016

Flash illumination of Peucetia viridans

oct 03 1012 peucetia viridans face

UV Illumination of Peucetia viridans

oct 03 1017 peucetia viridans face

Fluorescing eyes of Peucetia viridans

oct 25 2868 peucetia viridans eye fluorescence

Sept 28, 2016

Flash illumination of Mecaphesa celer

sep 28 0563 flash mecaphesa celer

UV induced eye and carapace fluorescence of Mecaphesa celer

sep 28 0542 uv mecaphesa celer

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.

C. Frank Starmer

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