Gasteracantha falcicornis

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Long Wing Kite Spider
Gasteracantha falcicornis (red spiked orb weaver spider).jpg
female
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Infraorder: Araneomorphae
Family: Araneidae
Genus: Gasteracantha
Species:
G. falcicornis
Binomial name
Gasteracantha falcicornis
Butler, 1873 [1]
Synonyms
  • Gasteracantha toxotesGerstaecker, 1873
  • Gasteracantha resupinataGerstaecker, 1873
  • Gasteracantha petersiiKarsch, 1878

Gasteracantha falcicornis is a species of spider belonging to the family Araneidae. It is found in eastern and southern Africa. [2]

Contents

Distribution

Gasteracantha falcicornis is known from Malawi, Tanzania, Zambia, Eswatini and South Africa. [3] In South Africa, the species occurs in two provinces across a wide geographical range at altitudes from 4 to 750 m above sea level. [3]

The South African distribution includes KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga provinces. Notable localities include Empangeni, iSimangaliso Wetland Park (Fanie's Island, Kosi Bay Nature Reserve, Sodwana Bay National Park, Lake Sibaya), Ngoye Forest, Tembe Elephant Park, Avoca, and Komatipoort. [3]

Habitat and ecology

Gasteracantha falcicornis is an orb-web dweller. The webs are usually constructed high in trees or tall shrubs above the observer's eye level. The bridge line is frequently longer than the orb part, giving the impression that the spider is floating in space. The web is sometimes decorated with tufts of silk. The spiders are active during the day and do not remove their webs. [3]

Description

The female, larger and more colourful than the male[ citation needed ], has a bright red abdomen decorated with many deep black pits. There is a long, curved black horn at each side and two shorter, straight horns at the front and rear.

Conservation

Gasteracantha falcicornis is listed as Least Concern by the South African National Biodiversity Institute due to its wide geographical range. [3] In South Africa, the species is protected in Kosi Bay Nature Reserve, Ngoye Forest and Tembe Elephant Park. No conservation actions are recommended. [3]

Taxonomy

The species was last revised by Emerit in 1974 and is described only from the female. [3]

References

  1. ↑ Butler, A.G. (1873). "A monographic list of the species of Gasteracantha or crab-spiders, with descriptions of new species". Transactions of the Entomological Society of London. 1873: 153–180.
  2. ↑ "Gasteracantha falcicornis Butler, 1873". World Spider Catalog. Retrieved 2025-09-26.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S.; Haddad, C.R.; Foord, S.H.; Lotz, L.N.; Webb, P. (2022). The Araneidae of South Africa. Version 2: part 2 (E-Ne). South African National Survey of Arachnida Photo Identification Guide. p. 6. doi:10.5281/zenodo.6619195. Creative Commons by small.svg  This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.


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