Argiope aetherea

Taxobox
name = "Argiope aetherea"

---

image_width = 250px
image_caption = "A. aetherea" female and male
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Arthropoda
classis = Arachnida
ordo = Araneae
familia = Araneidae
genus = "Argiope"
species = "A. aetherea"
binomial = "Argiope aetherea"
binomial_authority = (Walckenaer, 1841)
range_

range_map_width = 250px
synonyms ="Epeira aetherea"
"Argiope regalis"
"Argiope variabilis"
"Argiope lunata"
"Argiope brownii"
"Argiope verecunda"
"Argiope maerens"
"Argiope avara angulicosta"
"Argiope avara ocelligera"
"Argiope avara tristipes"
"Argiope friedericii"
"Argiope wolfi"
"Argiope udjirica"
"Argiope lihirica"
"Argiope wogeonicola"
"Argiope novae-pommeraniae"
"Gea rotunda"

"Argiope aetherea" is a common, large orb-web spider This species is commonly known as the St Andrew's Cross spider due to the characteristic cross-shaped web decorations often included in their webs by female spiders. "A. aetherea" is similar in appearance to "A. keyserlingi", however female "A. aetherea" are generally larger than "A. keyserlingi". Like most orb-web spiders, "A. aetherea" shows considerable sexual size dimorphism, with females being many times larger than males.

Distribution

The species is commonly found along the coast of Queensland, "Australia" from Hervey Bay in the South to Cape York in the north. It occurs also in China.

ubspecies

There exists a subspecies from New Guinea:
* "Argiope aetherea annulipes" Thorell, 1881