Gasteracantha geminata

Oriental spiny orb-weaver
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Infraorder: Araneomorphae
Family: Araneidae
Genus: Gasteracantha
Species: G. geminata
Binomial name
Gasteracantha geminata
(Fabricius, 1798)[1]

Gasteracantha geminata is a species of spider of the genus Gasteracantha, found in India and Sri Lanka.[1] It is known as the oriental spiny orb-weaver.

Description

Rather than possessing sexual dimorphism, both male and female have black and white transverse bands on the abdomen. Abdomen has three pairs of long stout lateral spines.[2] The female of the species is characterized by having a highly sclerotized "spiny" abdomen, which is a common feature of the genus. Female also has varying numbers of sigillae in both dorsal and ventral abdominal surfaces. Male is somewhat smaller than the female and with lesser coloration and abdominal spines.[3]

Web

The oriental spiny orb-weaver constructs vertical orb webs, normally within open spaces between the branches of tall shrubs and thorns.[2]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Gasteracantha geminata". World Spider Catalog. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
  2. 1 2 "Spiny Orbweaver from Sri Lanka is Gasteracantha geminata". What's that bug. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
  3. ↑ Sankaran, P.M.; Jobi, M.J. & Sebastian, P.A. (2015). "Redescription of the orb-weaving spider Gasteracantha geminata (Fabricius, 1798) (Araneae, Araneidae)". Zootaxa 3915 (1): 147–50. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.3915.1.10.


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