| Araniella opisthographa | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Araneomorphae |
| Family: | Araneidae |
| Genus: | Araniella |
| Species: | A. opisthographa |
| Binomial name | |
| Araniella opisthographa (Kulczynski, 1905) | |
| Synonyms [1] [2] | |
| |
Araniella opisthographa is a species of orb weaver in the spider family Araneidae.
This species can be found widely throughout Central Europe, Turkey, Caucasus, Russia and in parts of Central Asia including Iran. [2] [1] [3] [4] [5]
These spiders usually occurs on trees (especially oaks), bushes in woodland, scrub and hedgerows and herbaceous environments. They prefer moderately dry to dry deciduous and coniferous forests. [5] [6]
Araniella opisthographa can reach a body length of about 3.5–4 mm (0.14–0.16 in) in males, of about 4–6 mm (0.16–0.24 in) in females. The cephalothorax (prosoma) varies from yellow to red-brown, usually with broad dark marginal bands in males. The abdomen (opisthosoma) is definitely shiny yellowish green on top, with four black small depressions in the middle and five pairs of black lateral spots. [6] On the lower end of the abdomen there is a red mark. At the extremities of the pedipalps, males have the copulatory organs. Legs are yellow or red-brown. In males they are red and black ringed and femurs show several strong bristles along the whole length. This species is very similar to Araniella cucurbitina , that shows only 1-4 pairs of black lateral spots on abdomen. [5] [6]
Adults can be found from March to October. [7] The nets have a diameter of about ten centimeters and are laid diagonally to horizontally, usually at a height of about three meters. The females usually sit in the middle of the net.
Orb-weaver spiders are members of the spider family Araneidae. They are the most common group of builders of spiral wheel-shaped webs often found in gardens, fields, and forests. The English word orb can mean "circular", hence the English name of the group. Araneids have eight similar eyes, hairy or spiny legs, and no stridulating organs.
Austracantha is a genus of spider with a single species, Austracantha minax, commonly known as the jewel spider or the Christmas spider. It is a member of the family Araneidae and is endemic to Australia. They are relatively small spiders, reaching a maximum total body length of only around 12 mm (0.47 in) for females, and 5 mm (0.20 in) for males. Their abdomen has six distinctive projections ("spines") that makes them easy to identify. They are predominantly a shiny black, with variable white, yellow, and orange patterns. Melanistic forms also occur during autumn. They are facultatively gregarious, and can be found in large aggregations of overlapping orb webs. They feed on small flying insects that get entangled in their webs. They are harmless to humans, though the webs can be a nuisance for bushwalkers. They are most abundant during the summer months.
A bolas spider is a member of the orb-weaver spider that, instead of spinning a typical orb web, hunts by using one or more sticky "capture blobs" on the end of a silk line, known as a "bolas". By swinging the bolas at flying male moths or moth flies nearby, the spider may snag its prey rather like a fisherman snagging a fish on a hook. Because of this, they are also called angling or fishing spiders. The prey is lured to the spider by the production of up to three sex pheromone-analogues.
Micrathena gracilis is a spider in the family Araneidae (orb-weavers), commonly known as the spined micrathena or castleback orbweaver. This spider spins a moderately large and very tightly coiled web. The spiders themselves are small and can be found to be anywhere from 4.2 mm to 10.8 mm long. Its venom is not medically significant to humans, making it completely harmless. M. gracilis is unique in appearance due to its large spiky abdomen and black and white bodies. Certain spiders of this species can also display a yellow color on the sides of their bodies. These spiders can be seen most active during the end of the summer and beginning of fall. M. gracilis is diurnal and are rarely ever seen active at night.
Nuctenea umbratica, the walnut orb-weaver spider, is a species of spider in the family Araneidae.
Araniella cucurbitina, sometimes called the "cucumber green spider", is a spider of the family Araneidae.
Larinioides sclopetarius, commonly called bridge spider or gray cross spider, is a relatively large orb-weaver spider with Holarctic distribution. These spiders are located in Europe and have been observed as south as the Mediterranean Coast and as north as Finland. They are often found on bridges, especially near light and over water. The species tends to live on steel objects and is seldom seen on vegetation. Females reach a body length of 10–14mm, and males 8–9mm. Their orb webs can have diameters of up to 70 cm.
Gasteracantha cancriformis is a species of orb-weaver spider. It is widely distributed in the New World.
Cyrtophora citricola, also known as the tropical tent-web spider, is an orb-weaver spider in the family Araneidae. It is found in Asia, Africa, Australia, Costa Rica, Hispaniola, Colombia, and Southern Europe. In 2000, it was discovered in Florida. C. citricola differs from many of its close relatives due its ability to live in a wide variety of environments. In North America and South America, the spider has caused extensive damage to agricultural operations.
Darwin's bark spider is an orb-weaver spider that produces the largest known orb webs, ranging from 900 to 28,000 square centimetres, with bridge lines spanning up to 25 metres (82 ft). The spider was discovered in Madagascar in the Andasibe-Mantadia National Park in 2009. Its silk is the toughest biological material ever studied, over ten times tougher than a similarly-sized piece of Kevlar. The species was named in honour of the naturalist Charles Darwin, with the description being prepared precisely 150 years after the publication of The Origin of Species, on 24 November 2009.
Neoscona domiciliorum, commonly known as the spotted orbweaver or redfemured spotted orbweaver, is a spider in the family Araneidae. The specific epithet domiciliorum means "of dwellings" in Latin and refers to the fact that this species is often found living on buildings. Their bites are not known to cause serious harm in humans.
Agalenatea redii is a species of 'orbweavers' belonging to the family Araneidae subfamily Araneinae.
Araneus mitificus, commonly known as the kidney garden spider or pale orb weaver, is a species of orb-weaver spider found in South, East, and Southeast Asia.
Gasteracantha geminata is a species of spider of the genus Gasteracantha, found in India and Sri Lanka. It is known as the oriental spiny orb-weaver.
Macracantha is a genus of Asian orb-weaver spiders recognized as containing a single species, Macracantha arcuata. Macracantha is notable for the extremely long, curved spines on the abdomens of female members of the genus; Eugène Simon created the taxon name from the Greek words μακρός and ἄκανθα (spine). It occurs from India and China through Southeast Asia to Borneo.
Ocrepeira klamt is a species of orb-weaving spider found in the Colombian paramos, named in honour of the German teacher Ulrike Klamt. Due to an armed conflict, the region in which Ocrepeira klamt can be found has been largely inaccessible until recently. Both phenotypic and genotypic studies were used to substantiate the finding that Ocrepeira klamt is a new species of the neotropical orb-weaving spiders. In addition to Ocrepeira klamt, various other neotropical orb-weaving in the genera Ocrepeira spiders have been found in the paramos region. Ocrepeira Marx, Ocrepeira globoas, and Ocrepeira subrufa are various examples of orb-weaving spiders found along with Ocrepeira klamt. Ocrepeira klamt and other orb-weaving spiders can be easily differentiated from the other genera from the shape of the carapace and the anterior humps on the abdomen. In addition, notable morphological characteristics of Ocrepeira include a patterned abdomen, a black abdomen with white spots. Presence of the carapace wide in the eye region, structure of the posterior median eyes, and abdomen physiology, including two anterior humps, confirmed the placement of Ocrepeira klamt into the Ocrepeira genus. Furthermore, unique genitalia structure and the altitude it lives separates it from other species in the genus. As compared to other species in the genus, Ocrepeira klamt was found at the highest elevation of all the Ocrepeira species in the region at 3,650 metres (11,980 ft).
Cladomelea akermani is a species of spider in the orb-weaver spider family Araneidae, found in South Africa. Cladomelea species, including C. akermani, are "bolas spiders" – adult females capture their prey by using a sticky drop on the end of a single line which they swing, usually catching male moths attracted by the release of an analogue of the attractant sex pheromone produced by the female moth. Juvenile and adult male bolas spiders do not use a bolas, catching prey with their legs alone.
Cyrtarachne inaequalis is a species of spider in the orb-weaver spider family Araneidae, found in India, Myanmar, China and Korea. Spiders in the genus Cyrtarachne construct "spanning-thread webs" rather than the more typical orb webs of the family Araneidae. These webs have a small number of radii and instead of a tight spiral of sticky threads, the sticky spanning threads are widely spaced and do not form a spiral. When prey is caught on one of the spanning threads, one end comes loose, and the prey, often a moth, dangles from the other end until hauled in by the spider.
Cyrtarachne yunoharuensis is a species of spider in the orb-weaver spider family Araneidae, found in China, Korea and Japan. Spiders in the genus Cyrtarachne construct "spanning-thread webs" rather than the more typical orb webs of the family Araneidae. These webs have a small number of radii and instead of a tight spiral of sticky threads, the sticky spanning threads are widely spaced and do not form a spiral. When prey is caught on one of the spanning threads, one end comes loose, and the prey, often a moth, dangles from the other end until hauled in by the spider.
Ordgarius sexspinosus is a species of spider in the orb-weaver spider family Araneidae, found from India to Japan and Indonesia. O. monstrosus is a bolas spider. Rather than using a web, adult females catch their prey by using a line with one or two sticky drops which they swing.
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