Diving bell spider

Description

Argyroneta aquatica is the only species of spider known to live almost entirely under water. It is the only member of the genus Argyroneta.When out of the water, the spider ranges in colour from mid to dark brown, although the hairs on the abdomen give it a dark grey, velvet-like appearance. It is native to freshwater habitats in Europe and Asia. A. aquatica is found in clean freshwater habitats with aquatic vegetation, such as lakes, ponds, canals, marshes and slow-moving streams.It ranges through much of mainland Europe (no records from Portugal, Greece and Albania), the British Isles and central to northern Asia ranging as far south as Iran and as far north as Siberia, up to latitude 62°N. Most of the range is inhabited by the nominate subspecies, but Japan has its own subspecies, the very similar A. a. japonica. As with other spiders it breathes air; when submerged in water, an air bubble is trapped by a dense layer of hydrophobic hairs on its abdomen and legs,giving the abdomen a silvery appearance. The spider lives for about two years in captivity.