Stretch spiders, Long-jawed or Four-jawed orb weavers

This family probably arose from the same evolutionary line as the Araneids because they also build orb webs. Members of this family are often found in grassy, damp, swampy habitats. These spiders have long slim bodies and their abdomen has a metal shiny look. They build orb webs with an open center like the Metidae. When the spiders is not in the web she rests stretched on a reed twig or grass leave. If the spider is disturbed she usually drops to the ground.

Most are greatly elongated spiders with very thin, long legs; the chelicerae (jaws) are of great size, especially those of the males, which often project in forward in a horizontal position.
The jaws together with the two long palps it appears as they have four jaws.

During mating the chelicerae of the male are gripped in those of the female.

The size of these spiders varies between 10 and 20 mm.

Twenty different species of the 1000 world-wide can be found in this family Tetragnatha (Latin for "Four-jawed").

Right: Tetragnatha demissa

Tetragnatha demissa is a common stretch spider in Eastern Australia. The male has a body length of 10 - 12 mm and the female 12-14 mm.
The spider builds her web 1 - 1.5 m above the ground amongst grass and low vegetatation. She constructs white egg-sacs with a diameter of 5-6 mm that contains 50 - 60 eggs.