Araniella cucurbitina | |
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Dorsal view | |
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Ventral view | |
Scientific classification ![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
Class: | Arachnida |
Order: | Araneae |
Infraorder: | Araneomorphae |
Family: | Araneidae |
Genus: | Araniella |
Species: | A. cucurbitina |
Binomial name | |
Araniella cucurbitina | |
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Synonyms | |
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Araniella cucurbitina, sometimes called the "cucumber green spider", is a spider of the family Araneidae. [1] Araniella cucurbitina is found across Europe, Western Asia, Central Asia and Japan. The cucurbitina in the name comes from the word cucurbit which is a family of plants including cucumbers.
The species was first described by the Swedish entomologist and arachnologist Carl Alexander Clerck (1709-1765) in 1757 as Araneus cucurbitinus [2] and was revised in 1942 by Chamberlin & Ivie with the name Araniella cucurbitina.
This species occurs in the Palaearctic. It is widespread in north-western and central Europe, [3] [4] in Turkey, and in Central Asia to China and Korea. [5] It can also be found in parts of North America, where it was probably introduced.
These spiders are mainly found on forest clearings, in woods, bushes, scrub and hedgerows and in low vegetation. [3]
Females of Araniella cucurbitina are larger than males. Moreover the male is generally much slimmer, with more developed limbs (Sexual dimorphism). In fact females grow up to 4.5–9.5 millimetres (0.18–0.37 in), while males only up to 3.5–4.5 millimetres (0.14–0.18 in). [6] [7] Adult spiders in Spring show a basic green color. The cephalothorax (prosoma) is light yellowish to red-brown, [6] but the abdomen (opisthosoma) is definitely green or yellowish green, with four pairs of black lateral spots. [6] The legs are yellowish green or yellow-red-brown. [6] On the lower end of the abdomen there is a red mark. At the extremities of the pedipalps, males have the copulatory organs, called palpal bulbs, similar to an ampoule, that are used to transfer sperm to the female. Freshly hatched spiderlings are red, and change to brown before the autumn. [7]
Araniella opisthographa is an almost identical spider which can only be distinguished from A. cucurbitina by a microscopic investigation. [8]
Adults can be found mainly from May to July, but females last as late as September. [3] These spiders do not use a hideout, because they are camouflaged by their green colour. They weave their orb-web between leaves and flowers. These webs are irregularly shaped and only about 100 mm (3.9 in) in diameter. They have between 15 and 30 rays. The spider usually stands in the middle of the web while waiting for prey. Egg sacs are commonly attached to the underside of leaves. [9]
Wolf spiders are members of the family Lycosidae. They are robust and agile hunters with excellent eyesight. They live mostly in solitude, hunt alone, and usually do not spin webs. Some are opportunistic hunters, pouncing upon prey as they find it or chasing it over short distances; others wait for passing prey in or near the mouth of a burrow.
Agelenopsis, commonly known as the American grass spiders, is a genus of funnel weavers described by C.G. Giebel in 1869. They weave sheet webs that have a funnel shelter on one edge. The web is not sticky, but these spiders make up for that by running very rapidly. The larger specimens can grow to about 19 mm in body length. They may be recognized by the arrangement of their eight eyes into three rows. The top row has two eyes, the middle row has four eyes, and the bottom row has two eyes. They have two prominent hind spinnerets, somewhat indistinct bands on their legs, and two dark bands running down either side of the cephalothorax.
Atypidae, also known as atypical tarantulas or purseweb spiders, is a spider family containing only three genera. They are accomplished ambush predators that spend most of their time in a sock-like, silken retreat on the ground from where they kill their prey.
The Agelenidae are a large family of spiders in the suborder Araneomorphae. Well-known examples include the common "grass spiders" of the genus Agelenopsis. Nearly all Agelenidae are harmless to humans, but the bite of the hobo spider may be medically significant, and some evidence suggests it might cause necrotic lesions, but the matter remains subject to debate. The most widely accepted common name for members of the family is funnel weaver.
The katipō is an endangered species of spider native to New Zealand. It is one of many species in the genus Latrodectus, such as the Australian redback, and the North American black widow. The species is venomous to humans, capable of delivering a potentially dangerous bite. It is a small to medium-sized spider, with the female having a round black or brown pea-sized body. Red katipō females found in the South Island and the lower half of the North Island, are always black, and their abdomen has a distinctive red stripe bordered in white. In black katipō females found in the upper half of the North Island, this stripe is absent, pale, yellow, or replaced with cream-coloured blotches. These two forms were previously thought to be separate species. The male is much smaller than the female and quite different in appearance: white with black stripes and red diamond-shaped markings. Katipō are mainly found living in sand dunes close to the seashore. They are found throughout most of coastal New Zealand except the far south and west. Katipō feed mainly on ground dwelling insects, caught in an irregular tangled web spun amongst dune plants or other debris.
The giant house spider has been treated as either one species, under the name Eratigena atrica, or as three species, E. atrica, E. duellica and E. saeva. As of April 2020, the three species view was accepted by the World Spider Catalog. They are among the largest spiders of Central and Northern Europe. They were previously placed in the genus Tegenaria. In 2013, they were moved to the new genus Eratigena as the single species Eratigena atrica. In 2018, the three separate species were restored. The bite of these species does not pose a threat to humans or pets, and they are generally reluctant to bite, preferring instead to hide or escape.
Philaeus chrysops is a species of jumping spider (Salticidae).
Araniella is a genus of orb-weaver spiders first described by R. V. Chamberlin & Wilton Ivie in 1942. The genus includes Araniella cucurbitina, the cucumber green spider.
Theridion grallator, also known as the Hawaiian happy-face spider, is a spider in the family Theridiidae that resides on the Hawaiian Islands. T. grallator gets its vernacular name of "Hawaiian happy-face spider" from the unique patterns superimposed on its abdomen, specifically those that resemble a human smiling face. T. grallator is particularly notable because of its wide range of polymorphisms that may be studied to allow a better understanding of evolutionary mechanisms. In addition to the variety of color polymorphisms present, T. grallator demonstrates the interesting quality of diet-induced color change, in which its appearance temporarily changes as it metabolizes various food items.
Nuctenea umbratica, the walnut orb-weaver spider, is a species of spider in the family Araneidae.
Micrommata virescens, common name green huntsman spider, is a species of huntsman spiders belonging to the family Sparassidae.
Enoplognatha is a genus of comb-footed spiders that was first described by P. Pavesi in 1880. They have both a large colulus and a subspherical abdomen. Males usually have enlarged chelicerae. It is considered a senior synonym of Symopagia.
Evarcha falcata is a species of 'jumping spiders' belonging to the family Salticidae.
Mitopus morio is a species of harvestman arachnid belonging to the family Phalangiidae.
Neoscona crucifera is an orb-weaver spider in the family Araneidae. It is found in the United States from Maine to Florida in the east, to Minnesota in the Midwest, to Arizona in the southwest, southern California coastal communities and in Mexico. Its common names include Hentz orbweaver, spotted orbweaver, and barn spider. The name "barn spider" is also commonly used for a different spider, Araneus cavaticus.
Tetragnatha extensa is a species of spider found across the Northern Hemisphere. It has an elongate body, up to 11 mm (0.43 in) long, and adopts a straight line posture when alarmed. It lives on low vegetation in damp areas, and feeds on flying insects which it catches in its web.
Carrhotus xanthogramma is a species of jumping spider belonging to the family Salticidae.
Dictyna arundinacea is a species of spider belonging to the family Dictynidae. It has a holarctic distribution; It is found throughout Britain and northern Europe.
Ebrechtella tricuspidata is a species of crab spiders belonging to the family Thomisidae.
Araniella opisthographa is a species of orb weaver in the spider family Araneidae.