Austracantha minax

Taxobox
name = "Austracantha minax"

---

image_width = 250px
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Arthropoda
classis = Arachnida
ordo = Araneae
subordo = Araneomorphae
familia = Araneidae
genus = "Austracantha"
genus_authority = Dahl, 1914
diversity_link = List of Araneidae species: A#Austracantha
diversity = 1 species, 4 subspecies
species = "A. minax"
binomial = "Austracantha minax"
binomial_authority = (Thorell, 1859)

"Austracantha minax" (with common names including "Australian jewel spider", "Christmas spider" and "spiny spider") is a distinctive Australian spider.

This species occurs throughout most of Australia. They like to make their webs in shrubby woodlands in large communities of spiders with each individual web connected together into a miniature spider city (pictured below).Eggs sacs are red-brown, and can be a variety of shapes. They are usually attached to a twig near the web. Females are larger than males measuring 7 mm as opposed to the males' smaller 4 mm.

The bite of "A. minax" is only mildly painful, with a temporary local reaction.

References

* (2008): [http://research.amnh.org/entomology/spiders/catalog/index.html The world spider catalog] , version 8.5. "American Museum of Natural History".