- Gasteracantha cancriformis
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Gasteracantha cancriformis 
Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Arachnida Order: Araneae Family: Araneidae Genus: Gasteracantha Species: G. cancriformis Binomial name Gasteracantha cancriformis
(Linnaeus, 1758)Gasteracantha cancriformis (the crab spider, spiny-backed orbweaver, spiny orbweaver spider, crab-like orbweaver spider, crab-like spiny orbweaver spider, jewel spider, spiny-bellied orbweaver, jewel box spider or smiley face spider) is a species of spider.
Females are 5–9 millimetres (0.20–0.35 in) long and 10–13 mm (0.39–0.51 in) 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 is found across the southern part of the United States from California to Florida, as well as in Central America, Jamaica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, South America and certain islands in the Bahamas. It has also been sighted in the Whitsunday Islands, Australia and Palawan, Philippines.
It lives in woodland edges and shrubby gardens. Many of the studies on this spider have taken place in citrus groves in Florida. 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.
The genus name Gasteracantha derives from the Greek words γαστήρ (gaster, "belly") and ἄκανθα (acantha, "thorn"), while the specific epithet cancriformis derives from the Latin words cancer ("crab") and forma ("shape, form, appearance").
Contents
Synonyms
G. cancriformis has also been described under a number of taxonomic synonyms:
- Aranea cancriformis
- Aranea tetracantha
- Aranea conchata
- Aranea hexacantha
- Epeira lata
- Epeira servillei
- Acrosoma hexacantha
- Gasteracantha hexacantha
- Gasteracantha velaris
- Plectana cancriformis
- Plectana hexacantha
- Plectana elipsoides
- Plectana quinqueserrata
- Plectana sexserrata
- Plectana triserrata
- Plectana servillei
- Plectana lata
- Plectana atlantica
- Gasteracantha rubiginosa
- Gasteracantha picea
- Gasteracantha mammosa
- Gasteracantha quadridens
- Gasteracantha pallida
- Epeira cancer
- Gasteracantha moesta
- Gasteracantha insulana
- Gasteracantha hilaris
- Gasteracantha columbiae
- Gasteracantha kochii
- Dicantha lata
- Micrathena triserrata
- Gasteracantha oldendorffii
- Gasteracantha canestrinii
- Gasteracantha callida
- Gasteracantha raimondii
- Gasteracantha proboscidea
- Gasteracantha rufospinosa
- Gasteracantha maura
- Gasteracantha elliptica
- Gasteracantha preciosa
- Gasteracantha biolleyi
- Gasteracantha mascula
- Gasteracantha comstocki
- Vibradellus carolinus
- Gasteracantha elipsoides
Further reading
- Eberhard, William G. (2006): Stabilimenta of Philoponella vicina (Araneae: Uloboridae) and Gasteracantha cancriformis (Araneae: Araneidae): Evidence Against a Prey Attractant Function. Biotropica 39(2): 216-220. doi:10.1111/j.1744-7429.2006.00254.x
See also
- Thelacantha brevispina
External links
Media related to Gasteracantha cancriformis at Wikimedia CommonsCategories:- Araneidae
- Spiders of North America
- Animals described in 1758
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