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Spinybacked orbweaver (female)

Gasteracantha cancriformis

Description:

Females are 5–9 mm long and 10–13 mm wide. The six abdominal spine-like projections on the abdomen are characteristic. The carapace, legs and underside are black with white spots under the abdomen. Variations occur in the colour of the upperside of the abdomen with black spots on white to yellow ground colour and red spines or yellow instead of white. Spines are sometimes black. Like in many other spiders, males are much smaller (2 to 3 mm long) and longer than wide. They are similar to the females in colour but have a gray abdomen with white spots and the spines are reduced to four or five stubby projections. It lives in woodland edges and shrubby gardens. They frequently live in trees or around trees in shrubs. This species of spider does not live very long. In fact, the lifespan only lasts until reproduction, which usually takes place the spring following the winter when they hatched. Females die after producing an egg mass, and males die six days after a complete cycle of sperm induction to the female.

Habitat:

Green Cay, FL

Notes:

Spotted in the eaves of the visitor center.

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14 Comments

!!!!!

KarenL
KarenL 11 years ago

Thanks for all your kind comments guys!
I found a few more of these at a different location yesterday http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/113...

LucBertrand
LucBertrand 11 years ago

wooooo i love this specimen !!!!! congratulation it's a nice picture and interesting spiders :D

catgrin
catgrin 11 years ago

Oh, she's lovely! Great pics!

Jolly Ibañez
Jolly Ibañez 11 years ago

Vibrant sharp pictures. Wonderful spotting!

Maria dB
Maria dB 11 years ago

nice shots!

BrandonBlount
BrandonBlount 11 years ago

Holy Cow Karen! You are really getting some amazing spots down there in FL!!!! Grats on this little guy! He's amazing!

KarenL
KarenL 11 years ago

Thank you Nicholas & harsuame!

rutasandinas
rutasandinas 11 years ago

Que hermosa felicidades

Nicholas4
Nicholas4 11 years ago

Such detail! wow!

KarenL
KarenL 11 years ago

Thanks Yasser!
Another one that was on my "wish list"!

KarenL
KarenL 11 years ago

Thanks Carol! I went to Florida to photograph the birds but of course the first critter I snapped had to be a spider!

Yasser
Yasser 11 years ago

Woohoo! What a beauty!!!

CarolSnowMilne
CarolSnowMilne 11 years ago

U did it Karen! You found one. Congratulations! Awesome! I love these!

KarenL
Spotted by
KarenL

West Palm Beach, Florida, USA

Spotted on May 22, 2012
Submitted on May 23, 2012

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