Name : Water spider habitat in Eundae-li Appointment Category : Natural Property No. 412 Location: Area of Eundae-li 693-18, Jeongok-eup, Yeoncheun-gun Date of Appointment: Sep. 18, 1999

About Cultural Properties
Water spider habitat in Eundae-li is located in a humid area of yello earth near Chatan river. Water spiders are survived in single kind, which is a rare breed with similar body structure to that of earth spiders but lives under water.

While females are much larger than males in general, male water spiders are larger than female water spiders. The body length is ranged in 8~15mm. It has a thin body with reddish or brownish head. The abdomen is dark brown or grey brown, which is usually darker than head and chest. It is covered with fine hair, which functions as waterproof.

It is assumed that it initially lived above water then became to live under water. Although it lives under shallow water in low level of humid area with less current, it also can move easily above water. It usually hides in its nest on plants sunken in water in a day, and comes out and moves at night. It lives on insects living under water, tubificids, and water fleas, and its life span is 1 year. Main habitat is northern Europe, but it was also founded in Gyotyo and Hokkaido area in Japan in 1930s and 40s.

There was no record found by collectors regarding Location and times of collection except a record by a Japanese spider researcher referring Korea as one of the habitats, until Hyung-Young Im, then Inchang high school teacher in Guri in 1996 found one and took a picture of it. Major characteristic of water spider is that it breathes by generating air bubbles in silvery white color, and the following is the process.

① When entering water, water spider generates air shield starting from abdomen
② To enlarge air bubble, it breathes with air above water then generates large air bubble as if it blew a bubble gum.
③ To create an air bubble big enough to include one water spider, it brings air from above water 10~15 times for about 10 minutes.