| Cyrtarachne | |
|---|---|
 | |
| female Cyrtarachne inaequalis from Okinawa. | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Araneomorphae |
| Family: | Araneidae |
| Subfamily: | Cyrtarachninae s.l. |
| Genus: | Cyrtarachne Thorell, 1868 [1] |
| Type species | |
| C. grubei (Keyserling, 1864) | |
| Species | |
54, see text | |
Cyrtarachne is a genus of orb-weaver spiders first described by Tamerlan Thorell in 1868. [2]
Cyrtarachne construct “spanning thread-webs”, a basic orb-web, but the web diameter, sticky spiral spacing and viscid thread diameter differ from that of typical orb-webs. [3]
The viscid threads are studded with large droplets. Each of the short threads between the radii is known as a spanning thread, and is unique in that it breaks when prey comes into contact with it. The prey flies into the web, gets stuck to a viscid thread, the thread breaks, and the spider pulls the prey up to the hub of the web to feed. During the day the spider rests on close-by vegetation mimicking bird-droppings. [3]
Females are 5–8 mm in total length, while males are 2–3 mm. The female carapace is brown and shiny, convex and simple. The ocular quadrangle is slightly wider than long, with lateral eyes contiguous. The abdomen is large and triangular, wider than long, decorated with horizontal bands of white and brown centrally, with paired sigilla. The dorsum is shiny, appearing hard and shell-like. The legs are short with leathery integument and coloured bands and patches. Males differ from females and are much smaller. [3]
As of September 2025 [update] , this genus includes 54 species and two subspecies: [1]
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