''Gasteracantha'' is a genus of
orb-weaver spiders first named by
Carl Jakob Sundevall in 1833.
Species of the genus are known as spiny-backed orb-weavers, spiny orb-weavers, or spiny spiders. The females of most species are brightly colored with six prominent spines on their broad, hardened, shell-like abdomens. The name ''Gasteracantha'' is derived from the
Greek (), meaning "belly, abdomen", and (), meaning "thorn, spine".
Spiny-backed orb-weavers are sometimes colloquially called "crab spiders" because of their shape, but they are not closely related to the true
crab spiders
The Thomisidae are a family of spiders, including about 170 genera and over 2,100 species. The common name crab spider is often linked to species in this family, but is also applied loosely to many other families of spiders. Many members of th ...
.
Other colloquial names for certain species include thorn spider,
star spider,
kite spider, or
jewel spider Jewel spider is the common name of several different species of orb weaver spiders:
*''Araneus gemmoides'', the North American jewel spider
*''Austracantha minax'', the Australian jewel spider
*''Gasteracantha cancriformis
''Gasteracantha canc ...
.
Members of the genus exhibit strong
sexual dimorphism
Sexual dimorphism is the condition where the sexes of the same animal and/or plant species exhibit different morphological characteristics, particularly characteristics not directly involved in reproduction. The condition occurs in most ani ...
. Females are several times larger than males, which lack prominent spines or bright colors.
''Gasteracantha'' species are distributed worldwide in
tropical
The tropics are the regions of Earth surrounding the Equator. They are defined in latitude by the Tropic of Cancer in the Northern Hemisphere at N and the Tropic of Capricorn in
the Southern Hemisphere at S. The tropics are also referred to ...
and
subtropical
The subtropical zones or subtropics are geographical zone, geographical and Köppen climate classification, climate zones to the Northern Hemisphere, north and Southern Hemisphere, south of the tropics. Geographically part of the Geographical z ...
climates. The genus is most diverse in tropical Asia, from India through Indonesia.
One species, ''
G. cancriformis'', occurs in the
Americas
The Americas, which are sometimes collectively called America, are a landmass comprising the totality of North and South America. The Americas make up most of the land in Earth's Western Hemisphere and comprise the New World.
Along with th ...
.
Other genera in the same family are also known as spiny orb-weavers.
Orb-weavers' bites are generally harmless to humans.
Taxonomy and systematics
''Gasteracantha'' has a complex taxonomic history, and many questions of species limits and distribution and generic interrelationships remain unanswered. Furthermore, challenges include the variability within individual ''Gasteracantha'' species (e.g., color
polymorphism and variable length and shape of spines), a lack of male specimens and descriptions for many species, missing or damaged type specimens, and ambiguous initial descriptions in 18th- and 19th-century scientific literature.
The 69 species currently recognized by
World Spider Catalog
The World Spider Catalog (WSC) is an online searchable database concerned with spider taxonomy. It aims to list all accepted families, genera and species, as well as provide access to the related taxonomic literature. The WSC began as a series of ...
include dozens of
synonyms
A synonym is a word, morpheme, or phrase that means exactly or nearly the same as another word, morpheme, or phrase in a given language. For example, in the English language, the words ''begin'', ''start'', ''commence'', and ''initiate'' are all ...
and
subspecies
In biological classification, subspecies is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics (morphology), but that can successfully interbreed. Not all species ...
, many based on literature well over 100 years old.
A 2019 study examining three
mitochondrial
A mitochondrion (; ) is an organelle found in the cells of most Eukaryotes, such as animals, plants and fungi. Mitochondria have a double membrane structure and use aerobic respiration to generate adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which is use ...
and two
nuclear
Nuclear may refer to:
Physics
Relating to the nucleus of the atom:
* Nuclear engineering
*Nuclear physics
*Nuclear power
*Nuclear reactor
*Nuclear weapon
*Nuclear medicine
*Radiation therapy
*Nuclear warfare
Mathematics
*Nuclear space
*Nuclear ...
genes found that ''Gasteracantha'' is
paraphyletic
In taxonomy (general), taxonomy, a group is paraphyletic if it consists of the group's most recent common ancestor, last common ancestor and most of its descendants, excluding a few Monophyly, monophyletic subgroups. The group is said to be pa ...
with respect to ''Macracantha'', ''Actinacantha'', and ''Thelacantha''. ''
M. arcuata'' is allied with ''
G. hasselti'' and ''
A. globulata'', while ''
T. brevispina'' is closer to ''
G. kuhli'' and ''
G. diardi''. The authors, however, did not propose generic reassignments based on their findings.
''
Micrathena'' orb-weavers in North and South America also have hardened abdomens with variously shaped spines, but they are not closely related to ''Gasteracantha'' within the orb-weaver family.
Species
, the genus ''Gasteracantha'' contains 69 species and 18 subspecies:
*''
G. aciculata''
(Pocock Pocock is a surname, and may refer to:
*Andrew Pocock (born 1955), British High Commissioner to Nigeria
* Barbara Pocock, one of the candidates of the 2022 Australian federal election
* Bill Pocock (1884–1959), English footballer
* Blair Pocock ...
, 1899) – Papua New Guinea (New Britain)
*''
G. acutispina''
Dahl, 1914 – Indonesia (Sulawesi)
*''
G. audouini''
Guérin, 1838 – Indonesia (Sumatra, Timor, Ambon), Philippines
*''
G. aureola''
Mi & Peng, 2013 – China
*''
G. beccarii''
Thorell, 1877 – Indonesia (Sulawesi)
*''
G. biloba''
(Thorell, 1878) – Indonesia (Moluccas, Ambon)
*''
G. cancriformis''
(Linnaeus, 1758) – North America, Central America, Caribbean, South America. Introduced to Hawaii
**''
Gasteracantha c. gertschi''
Archer, 1941 – USA
*''
G. clarki''
Emerit, 1974 – Seychelles
*''
G. clavatrix''
( Walckenaer, 1841) – Indonesia (Lombok, Sulawesi, Mentawai Is.)
*''
G. clavigera''
Giebel, 1863 – Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia (Sulawesi)
*''
G. crucigera''
Bradley, 1877 – Malaysia, Indonesia (Java, Borneo), New Guinea
*''
G. curvispina''
(Guérin, 1837) – West, Central Africa
*''
G. curvistyla''
Dahl, 1914 – Indonesia (Togian Is.)
*''
G. cuspidata''
C. L. Koch
Carl Ludwig Koch (21 September 1778 – 23 August 1857) was a German entomologist and arachnologist. He was responsible for classifying a great number of spiders, including the Brazilian whiteknee tarantula and common house spider. He was born ...
, 1837 – Malaysia, India (Nicobar Is.), Indonesia (Java)
*''
G. dalyi''
Pocock, 1900 – India, Pakistan
*''
G. diadesmia''
Thorell, 1887 – India to Philippines
*''
G. diardi''
(Lucas, 1835) – China, Thailand, Malaysia, Borneo, Indonesia (Sunda Is.)
*''
G. doriae''
Simon, 1877 – Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia (Sumatra, Borneo)
*''
G. falcicornis''
Butler
A butler is a person who works in a house serving and is a domestic worker in a large household. In great houses, the household is sometimes divided into departments with the butler in charge of the dining room, wine cellar, and pantry. Some a ...
, 1873 – Africa
*''
G. fasciata''
Guérin, 1838 – New Guinea, Guam
*''
G. flava''
Nicolet, 1849 – Chile
*''
G. fornicata''
(Fabricius Fabricius ( la, smith, german: Schmied, Schmidt) is a surname. Notable people with the surname include:
*people from the Ancient Roman gens Fabricia:
**Gaius Fabricius Luscinus, the first of the Fabricii to move to Rome
* Johann Goldsmid (1587†...
, 1775) – Australia (Queensland)
*''
G. frontata''
Blackwall, 1864 – India, Myanmar, Thailand, Indonesia (Flores, Borneo)
*''
G. gambeyi''
Simon, 1877 – New Caledonia
*''
G. geminata''
(Fabricius, 1798) – India, Sri Lanka
*''
G. hecata''
(Walckenaer, 1841) – Philippines
*''
G. interrupta''
Dahl, 1914 – Indonesia (Lombok, Sulawesi)
*''
G. irradiata''
(Walckenaer, 1841) – Thailand to Philippines, Indonesia (Sulawesi)
*''
G. janopol''
Barrion & Litsinger, 1995 – Philippines
*''
G. kuhli''
C. L. Koch, 1837 – India to Japan, Philippines, Indonesia
*''
G. lepelletieri''
(Guérin, 1825) – Indonesia (Sumatra) to Philippines, New Guinea
*''
G. lunata''
Guérin, 1838 – Timor, Indonesia (Moluccas), New Caledonia
*''
G. martensi''
Dahl, 1914 – Indonesia (Sumatra)
*''
G. mediofusca''
(Doleschall Carl Ludwig Doleschall ( hu, Doleschall Lajos; sk, Karol ĽudovÃt Doležal; born 15 July 1827 – died 26 February 1859) was born in Vág-Újhely, Kingdom of Hungary, Austrian Empire (now Nové Mesto nad Váhom, Slovakia), as the son of the theolo ...
, 1859) – Indonesia (Java), New Guinea
*''
G. mengei''
Keyserling, 1864 – Malaysia, Indonesia (Sumatra, Borneo)
*''
G. metallica''
(Pocock, 1898) – Solomon Is.
*''
G. milvoides''
Butler, 1873 – Central, East, Southern Africa
*''
G. notata''
Kulczyński, 1910 – Papua New Guinea (New Britain)
*''
G. panisicca''
Butler, 1873 – Myanmar to Philippines, Indonesia (Java)
*''
G. parangdiadesmia''
Barrion & Litsinger, 1995 – Philippines
*''
G. pentagona''
(Walckenaer, 1841) – Papua New Guinea (New Ireland, New Britain, Bismarck Arch.)
*''
G. picta''
(Thorell, 1892) – Singapore
*''
G. quadrispinosa''
O. Pickard-Cambridge
Octavius Pickard-Cambridge FRS (3 November 1828 – 9 March 1917) was an English clergyman and zoologist. He was a keen arachnologist who described and named more than 900 species of spider.
Life and work
Pickard-Cambridge was born in Blox ...
, 1879 – New Guinea, Australia (Queensland)
*''
G. recurva''
Simon, 1877 – Philippines
*''
G. regalis''
Butler, 1873 – Vanuatu
*''
G. remifera''
Butler, 1873 – India, Sri Lanka
*''
G. rhomboidea''
Guérin, 1838 – Mauritius
**''
Gasteracantha r. comorensis''
Strand, 1916 – Comoros, Mayotte
**''
Gasteracantha r. madagascariensis''
Vinson, 1863 – Madagascar
*''
G. rubrospinis''
Guérin, 1838 – Indonesia (Lombok, Sulawesi, Moluccas), New Caledonia, Guam
*''
G. rufithorax''
Simon, 1881 – Madagascar
*''
G. sacerdotalis''
L. Koch
Ludwig Carl Christian Koch (8 November 1825 – 1 November 1908) was a German entomologist and arachnologist.
He was born in Regensburg, Germany, and died in Nuremberg, Germany. He studied in Nuremberg, initially law, but then turned to medicin ...
, 1872 – New Guinea, Australia (Queensland), New Caledonia
*''
G. sanguinea''
Dahl, 1914 – Philippines
*''
G. sanguinolenta''
C. L. Koch, 1844 – Africa, Yemen (mainland, Socotra), Seychelles
**''
Gasteracantha s. andrefanae''
Emerit, 1974 – Madagascar
**''
Gasteracantha s. bigoti''
Emerit, 1974 – Madagascar
**''
Gasteracantha s. emeriti''
Roberts, 1983 – Seychelles (Aldabra)
**''
Gasteracantha s. insulicola''
Emerit, 1974 – Seychelles
**''
Gasteracantha s. legendrei''
Emerit, 1974 – Europa Is.
**''
Gasteracantha s. mangrovae''
Emerit, 1974 – Madagascar
*''
G. sapperi''
Dahl, 1914 – New Guinea
*''
G. sauteri''
Dahl, 1914 – China, Taiwan, Vietnam
*''
G. scintillans''
Butler, 1873 – Solomon Is.
*''
G. signifera''
Pocock, 1898 – Solomon Is.
**''
Gasteracantha s. bistrigella''
Strand, 1911 – Papua New Guinea (Bismarck Arch.)
**''
Gasteracantha s. heterospina''
Strand, 1915 – Papua New Guinea (Bismarck Arch.)
**''
Gasteracantha s. pustulinota''
Strand, 1911 – Papua New Guinea (Bismarck Arch.)
*''
G. simoni''
O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1879 – Central Africa
*''
G. sororna''
Butler, 1873 – India
*''
G. sturi''
(Doleschall, 1857) – Laos, Sumatra, Java, Borneo, Moluccas
*''
G. subaequispina''
Dahl, 1914 – Borneo, New Guinea
*''
G. taeniata''
(Walckenaer, 1841) – India to Polynesia
**''
Gasteracantha t. analispina''
Strand, 1911 – New Guinea
**''
Gasteracantha t. anirensis''
Strand, 1911 – Papua New Guinea (New Ireland)
**''
Gasteracantha t. lugubris''
Simon, 1898 – Solomon Is.
**''
Gasteracantha t. novahannoveriana''
Dahl, 1914 – Papua New Guinea (Bismarck Arch.)
*''
G. theisi''
Guérin, 1838 – Indonesia, New Guinea
*''
G. thomasinsulae''
Archer, 1951 – São Tomé and PrÃncipe
*''
G. thorelli''
Keyserling, 1864 – Madagascar
*''
G. tondanae''
Pocock, 1897 – Indonesia (Sulawesi)
*''
G. transversa''
C. L. Koch, 1837 – Indonesia (Sumatra, Java)
*''
G. unguifera''
Simon, 1889 – China, India
*''
G. versicolor''
(Walckenaer, 1841) – Central, East, Southern Africa
**''
Gasteracantha v. avaratrae''
Emerit, 1974 – Madagascar
**''
Gasteracantha v. formosa''
Vinson, 1863 – Madagascar
*''
G. westringi''
Keyserling, 1864 – Australia, Admiralty Is., New Caledonia
Gallery
Spiny_backed_orbweaver_spider.jpg, '' G. cancriformis''
Hasselt's spiny spider, gasteracantha hasselti - Kaeng Krachan National Park.jpg, '' G. hasselti''
Krachan National Park, Thailand
Gasteracantha - Spiny orb-weavers.jpg , '' G. geminata''
Lalbagh Botanical Garden, Bangalore, India
20111029 DSC 0030 (10191378843).jpg , '' G. dalyi''
Karnataka, India
Gasteracantha quadrispinosa by Danny S.-1.JPG , '' G. quadrispinosa''
Queensland, Australia
Spider with fangs - Mecufi district of Mozambique, close to the sea coast.jpg , '' G. falcicornis''
Mecúfi District, Mozambique
References
External links
Video of a spiny orbweaver's heart beating
{{Authority control
Araneidae
Araneomorphae genera
Cosmopolitan spiders
Taxa named by Carl Jakob Sundevall