Orb-weaver spiders or araneids 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 forest. "Orb" can in English 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.
Gasteracantha is a genus of orb-weaver spiders first named by Carl Jakob Sundevall in 1833. The females of most species are brightly colored with six prominent spines on their broad, hardened, shell-like abdomens. The name Gasteracantha is derived from the Greek gaster (γαστήρ), meaning "belly, abdomen", and akantha (άκανθα), meaning "thorn, spine". Spiny-backed orb-weavers are sometimes colloquially called "crab spiders" because of their shape, but they are not closely related to the true crab spiders. Other colloquial names for certain species include thorn spider, star spider, kite spider, or jewel spider.
Nephilinae is a spider subfamily of the family Araneidae with seven genera. The various genera in Nephilinae were formerly grouped in the family Nephilidae, and before that in the Tetragnathidae and in the Araneidae. All nephiline genera partially renew their webs. Spiders in the subfamily Nephilinae are commonly referred to as golden orb-weavers.
Thelacantha is a genus of orb-weaver spiders containing the single species, Thelacantha brevispina. It was first described by A. W. M. van Hasselt in 1882, and has been found in Australia, Madagascar, and across southern Asia from India to Philippines, including Japan. It has also been introduced into Hawaii. T. brevispina is closely related those in the genus Gasteracantha, and was briefly synonymized with it in 1859, but revalidated in 1974. Saito described three other Thelacantha species in 1933, which were later synonymized with T. brevispina.
Gasteracantha versicolor, known as the long-winged kite spider, is a species of diurnal spiny orb-weaver of the family Araneidae. It is found in the tropics and sub-tropics, where it occurs in forests. It has an extensive range, from central, east and southern Africa to Madagascar.
Gasteracantha remifera is a species of spiny orb-weaver spider in the genus Gasteracantha. It is found in Sri Lanka and India, and it has a pair of long, club-shaped spines on its abdomen.
Afracantha is a genus of African orb-weaver spiders containing the single species, Afracantha camerunensis. It was first described by Friedrich Dahl in 1914, and has only been found in Africa.
Gastroxya is a genus of African orb-weaver spiders first described by Pierre L.G. Benoit in 1962.
Hypsacantha is a genus of African orb-weaver spiders containing the single species, Hypsacantha crucimaculata. It was first described by Friedrich Dahl in 1914, and has only been found in Africa.
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.
Madacantha is a genus of East African orb-weaver spiders containing the single species, Madacantha nossibeana. It was first described by M. Emerit in 1970, and has only been found in Madagascar.
Parmatergus is a genus of East African orb-weaver spiders first described by M. Emerit in 1994. As of April 2019 it contains only three species, all found in Madagascar.
Gasteracantha clavatrix is a species of spider of the genus Gasteracantha. It occurs in Indonesia.
Gasteracantha clavigera is a species of spider in the spiny orb-weaver genus Gasteracantha.
Gasteracantha diardi is a species of spider in the spiny orb-weaver genus Gasteracantha. It occurs in Southeast Asia.
Gasteracantha westringi is a species of spiny orb-weaver spider in the genus Gasteracantha. It is found in Australasia, including New Caledonia and Norfolk Island, and it has a wing-shaped abdomen armed with red and black spines.
Gasteracantha gambeyi is a species of spiny orb-weaver spider in the genus Gasteracantha. It was described from New Caledonia.
Gasteracantha interrupta is a species of spiny orb-weaver spider in the genus Gasteracantha. It is black and white in color, and it occurs in the Lesser Sundas and Sulawesi in Indonesia.
