Gasteracantha sanguinolenta

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Short-Wing Kite Spider
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. sanguinolenta
Binomial name
Gasteracantha sanguinolenta
C. L. Koch, 1844 [1]
Synonyms
  • G. ensiferaThorell, 1859
  • G. ornataThorell, 1859
  • G. lepidaO. Pickard-Cambridge, 1871
  • G. radiataGerstaecker, 1873
  • G. impotensGerstaecker, 1873
  • G. nanaButler, 1873
  • G. molestaO. Pickard-Cambridge, 1879
  • G. importunaO. Pickard-Cambridge, 1879
  • G. formosa confluxaKarsch, 1884
  • G. schweinfurthiSimon, 1890
  • G. sodalisO. Pickard-Cambridge, 1898
  • G. spenceriPocock, 1900
  • G. abyssinicaStrand, 1907
  • G. occidentalisDahl, 1914

Gasteracantha sanguinolenta is a species of spider in the family Araneidae. [2] It is commonly known as the short-wing kite spider. [3] The species is found throughout Africa. [3]

Contents

Distribution

Gasteracantha sanguinolenta is known throughout Africa, and also occurs in São Tomé, Yemen (Socotra), and the Seychelles. [2]

In South Africa, the species occurs in eight of the nine provinces across a very large geographical range at altitudes from 6 to 1,556 m above sea level, where it has been recorded from Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North West, and Western Cape provinces. It occurs in numerous localities including Addo Elephant National Park, Roodeplaatdam Nature Reserve, Kruger National Park, and Table Mountain National Park. [3]

Habitat and ecology

Gasteracantha sanguinolenta is an orb-web dweller commonly found in warmer tropical regions. The orb-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. The species has been sampled from all floral biomes except the Nama and Succulent Karoo biomes. [3]

Description

Conservation

Gasteracantha sanguinolenta is listed as Least Concern by the South African National Biodiversity Institute due to its wide global distribution. [3] The species is protected in more than ten protected areas including Lhuvhondo Nature Reserve, Kruger National Park, Polokwane Nature Reserve and Lekgalameetse Nature Reserve. No conservation actions are recommended. [3]

Taxonomy

The species was last revised by Emerit in 1974 and is known from both sexes. [3]

References

  1. ↑ Koch, C.L. (1844). Die Arachniden. Elfter Band. Nürnberg: C. H. Zeh'sche Buchhandlung. pp. 1–174.
  2. 1 2 "Gasteracantha sanguinolenta C. L. Koch, 1844". 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. 8. 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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