#Spinybacked Orbweaver

[uncharismatic-fauna]

The spinybacked orbweaver (Gasteracantha cancriformis) is a small species of spider found throughout South America, Central America, the Caribbean islands, and the southern part of North America. They can reside in a variety of habitats, but their main home is in woodlands and dense brush. They are mainly solitary, but will sometimes coexist with other colonial orbweaver spiders.

G. cancriformis is notable for its striking appearance. The head and thorax are small and , while the thorax is quite large and lined with six sharp spines. The coloration can vary throughout the spider's distribution; generally the head and thorax are black, while the abdomen can be white, black, orange, yellow, or even blue, and the spines can be red or black. Females tend to be between 5–9 mm (0.20–0.35 in) long, while males are much smaller at only 2 to 3 mm (0.1 in) long.

As an orbweaver, spinybacked orbweavers build large webs to catch their prey-- mainly small insects. Every evening, a female builds a new web and a male hangs by a single thread close by. The following morning, after consuming any insects she has caught, the female will either take down or eat the web so that a new one can be constructed the following evening. Depending on the size of her prey, she may either paralyze it with a mild venom or wrap it in webbing before consumption. There are few known predators of adult spinybacked orbweavers, due to their small size and prickly defense, but the eggs are known to be parasitized by wasps.

Spiny orbweavers only live for one year, and only mate once during that period. In the spring, males court females first by drumming on her web. If she does not become aggressive, he approaches and allows her to strap him down with silk. Following copulation, the female lays an egg sac with 100 to 260 eggs on the underside of a nearby leaf, and then dies. The male typically dies several days later; it is unknown whether he mates with other females during this period. Incubation takes 2-5 weeks, and the young mature quickly over the summer.

Conservation status: The IUCN has not evaluated the spinybacked orbweaver. However, the species has a large, widespread population, and is highly adaptable to living in urban areas, and so is generally considered stable.

Photos

Scott Nelson

Judy Gallagher

Kimberlie Sasan

[critter-creature-or-beast]

By Sam Fraser-Smith from Brisbane, Australia - Gasteracantha cancriformis - Spiny backed orbweaver Uploaded by Amada44 CC BY 2.0

[thelordofologies]

Spinybacked Orbweaver - Gasteracantha cancriformis

This post is on Gasteracantha cancriformis, which is a peculiar looking species of orb-weaver spider which is widely distributed across the American continents.

@hispaatra, @zick-the-fairy you guys need to know about this species, it is so freaking cute ! !

Description

Females measure about 5 to 9 millimetres and 10 to 13 millimetres wide. The six abdominal spine-like projections on the abdomen are characteristic for the species. The carapace, legs, and underside are black with white spots under the abdomen. Variations occur in the colour of the upperside of the abdomen; a white or yellow colour with both featuring black spots. A white upper side can have either red or black spines while a yellow upperside can only have black ones. Like many other spiders, males are much smaller, 2 to 3 millimetres 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.

This species of spider does not live very long. In fact, the lifespan lasts only until reproduction, which usually takes place in 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.

Distribution and habitat

The spinybacked orbweaver is native to North America, Central America, the Caribbean and South America up to northern Argentina. It has been introduced elsewhere, including Hawaii. It prefers living around the edge of woodland and shrubby gardens.

Gasteracantha cancriformis is seen to coexist within and on the edges of the colonies of other colonial orb-weaver spiders, mainly Metepeira incrassata, which is known to form large colonies which often accommodate other species of orb-weavers.

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Image sources:

1.

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/49540-Gasteracantha-cancriformis

2.

https://bugguide.net/node/view/839791/bgimage

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Text references:

1.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gasteracantha_cancriformis

2.

https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/IN324

3.

https://wsc.nmbe.ch/species/3986

[rafefar]

Spinybacked Orbweaver spider repairing its web

[bjekkergauken]

Inktober day 11: Spinybacked Orbweaver

[harleycrittercorner]

Two spiny critters

Spinybacked Orbweaver

[inatarachnids]

Asian Spinybacked Orbweaver (Thelacantha brevispina)

Observed by ioannism, CC BY-NC

[pixelarthropods]

Ricinoides Atewa was suggested on twitter! I'm also on twitter if you wanna follow me check here! Here's some amazing looking spiders Ricinoides Atewa, Spinybacked Orbweaver (Gasteracantha cancriformis), Black Widow (Latrodectus hesperus) and Garden Wolf Spider (Tasmanicosa godeffroyi)!

[slaughterverse]

Alright let's do this one more time- So I was killed by a radioactive spider.....

Anyways here's my Spidersona... after all these years....... He's based off a Spinybacked Orbweaver btw!

[coolest-capybara]

Meet this week's Maniculum Bestiaryposting entry, the Taerfleg!

Like last week, it doesn't seem too hard to guess what the author is getting at. A prickly animal that rolls itself into a ball when attacked and likes to eat grapes? Could be anything.

Could it be a spider? I did look it up, and apparently there is at least one spider with a mostly vegetarian diet, the Bagheera kiplingi (If you're fine with spiders, do click the link, it's very cute!). As for spikes and roundness, look no further than the spinybacked orbweavers (also adorable)!

The description mentions them tearing off grapes and rolling backwards onto them to deliver them to its young. Clearly, the author simply forgot to mention the fact that they first wrap the grapes in silk, then lower themselves carefully onto them, spikes first.

Their nests, described as having twin ventilation ducts to allow the Taerflag to avoid vapours (depending on which way the wind is blowing), are a series of funnel webs connected to each other.

For my depiction of the spiders, I got inspired by this version of the Acerba, page 48r, which shows them looking rather like very big ticks.

[connorscritters]

Spinybacked Orbweaver

[alcnfr]

A Spinybacked Orbweaver spider (Gasteracantha cancriformis) ...

[thelordofologies]

ENTOMOLOGY - LINKS

Oleander Hawk-Moth - Daphnis nerii

African Death’s-head Hawkmoth - Acherontia atropos

Peacock butterfly - Aglais io

Sun beetle - Pachnoda marginata peregrina

Giant African fruit beetle - Mecynorrhina polyphemus

Western Hercules beetle - Dynastes grantii

Cecropia moth - Hyalophora cecropia

Rosy maple moth - Dryocampa rubicunda

Jewel Caterpillar - Acraga coa

Kibakoganea tamdaoensis akitai

Asphaera quadrifasciata

Flower-Mimicking Crab Spiders - Thomisidae

Sabertooth longhorn beetle - Macrodontia cervicornis

Chinese hourglass spider - 里氏盤腹蛛 - Cyclocosmia ricketti

Plain nawab - Polyura hebe

Elephant beetle - Megasoma elephas

Hetschkia gracilis

Spinybacked Orbweaver - Gasteracantha cancriformis

Thwaitesia margaritifera

Phoroncidia lygeana

[ladysolariys]

With spider sonas being so popular, figured I'd throw my old characters in! Selene and her symbiote Strife, based on a spinybacked orbweaver

[wildmountainlight]

spinybacked orbweaver (gasteracantha cancriformis) - june 2022

[gloosth-b]

Spider-Thorn? Hell idk, I haven't decided the name yet, but here is ma spidersona.

Inspired by design of the spinybacked orbweaver spider. As my friend said, the spider looks like a cookie lol.