TAXONOMY:
(View Orders)
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
   Class:Arachnida
    Order: Araneae
     Family: Araneidae
      Genus: Gasteracantha
       Species: elipsoides

OTHER NAME(S):
Crablike Spiny Orb Weaver Spider

CHARACTERISTICS: The spines on the side of this spider make it unique and easy to recognize. Males are considerably smaller than females. Like other orb weavers, it creates a web that is circular in shape, only it has few or no spirals at the center of its web. Each night, a new web is spun. Late in the year, the female will lay eggs that will grow throughout winter, hatching spiderlings in spring.

ADULT SIZE (Length, not including legs):
2mm to 10mm (0.08in to 0.39in) (Compare Size)

IDENTIFYING COLORS: orange; black; white; yellow; red

North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Missouri, Arkansas, Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, California

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Courtesy of Arch Baker


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