Cross Spider

Thanks for your valuable feedback Martin. i think that makes a lot of sense. Puzzle solved.

I would not be surprised if the light produces untrue colors because the background is red and the colors are in the shade. This looks like keyserlingi to me. If you agree that visual identification is impossible then Argiope nr. (near) keyserlingi or Argiope poss. keyserlingi is a form of designation that I have sometimes used (for species complexes in some beetles) but it seems cumbersome to me.

Go for it. I don't know if they have any spider experts over there, but it couldn't hurt.

Thomas,
maybe I should send this over to the Toranga zoo?

i like the colors of the spider.

Argiope sp. (note the zigzag silk construction that distinguishes it from Gea sp.), but not necessarily a. keyserlingi. Some features that distinguish species of Argiopinae are only observable with a microscope. It could just as easily be a. picta or (not as likely) a new species entirely- some Argiope species were described as recently as the 1980s. See http://ednieuw.home.xs4all.nl/australian... and http://www.arachne.org.au/01_cms/details...

Thnx Jellis and Mark. have decided to go with St Andrews Cross Spider. Light could be a factor.

http://www.spiderzrule.com/banded.htm

Mark ,as you scroll thru this link,the blue thorax seems to be a reality. The colors ,blue and green and yellow and black are found on the abdomens but not all the colors on the same spider. A color here and there.

I must admit the timber seems a natural color.. maybe flash or background lighting?

I have seen hundreds of these Hema and never any with blues or greens. Are you confident the colors are true? :)

Please consider adding this spotting to the Animal Architecture mission at http://www.projectnoah.org/missions/8082...