Maltese Freshwater Crab Spider Beetle vs Mediterranean Webspinner

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Maltese Freshwater Crab Spider Beetle Mediterranean Webspinner
Scientific Name Akis spinosa Haploembia solieri
Order Coleoptera Embioptera
Family Tenebrionidae Oligotomidae
Size 18-25 mm 7-10 mm
Habitat Underground Heathland
Diet Herbivores Herbivores
Regions Malta, Mediterranean Islands Mediterranean Europe, North Africa
Conservation Not Evaluated Least Concern

Maltese Freshwater Crab Spider Beetle

A spiny darkling beetle found on Malta and other Mediterranean islands. It has prominent ridges and spines along its elytra.

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Did You Know?

Its spiny armor and habit of playing dead make it unappealing to most predators.

Mediterranean Webspinner

A small, brown webspinner native to the Mediterranean region. It constructs silk tunnels on rocks and walls, and reproduces parthenogenetically in many populations.

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Did You Know?

Many populations consist entirely of females that reproduce without mating, a rare trait among insects.