[ It was once thought to also inhabit Madagascar and other nearby islands, however these were determined in 2011 to be a different species, Nephilingis livida, while specimens from Mauritius were placed in the new species Nephilingis dodo.[1]]Anatomy
Female
The color of the abdomen ranges from striking bright red to whitish-red, with larger specimens displaying a brighter red. Total length ranges from about 14 to 22mm.[1]
Male
Males' total length ranges from about 4 to 6 mm. They have a yellow-brown prosoma, and a gray abdomen with white pigment dots.
[1]Distribution
N. borbonica occurs in Réunion, and were observed in cloud forests at up to 1,500 m elevation .[2]Name
The species name borbonica refers to the island Réunion near Madagascar, which was called "Bourbon" until 1848.
References
1. ^1 2 Kuntner & Agnarsson 2011: Biogeography and diversification of hermit spiders on Indian Ocean islands (Nephilidae: Nephilengys). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 59:477–488.
2. ^{{cite journal |author=Matjaž Kuntner |year=2007 |title=A monograph of Nephilingis, the pantropical 'hermit spiders' (Araneae, Nephilidae, Nephilinae) |journal=Systematic Entomology |volume=32 |issue=1 |pages=95–135 |url=http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1365-3113.2006.00348.x |doi=10.1111/j.1365-3113.2006.00348.x}}