Real orb web spiders
| Real orb web spiders | ||||||||||||
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Garden spider ( Araneus diadematus ) |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Araneidae | ||||||||||||
| Clerck , 1757 |
The real orb web spiders (Araneidae) are a spider family within the real web spiders (araneomorphae) and with 167 genera and 3084 species form the third largest family of web spiders (Araneae) worldwide . (As of October 2016)
The most noticeable representatives in Central Europe are the species from the genus of the cross spiders ( Araneus ), which is also the genus with the most species. The family gives its name to the superfamily of orb web spiders .
features
Real orb web spiders have three bristle claws ( Trionchya = "three-claw spiders") on the tips of the legs ( tarsus ) with which they can create impressive spider webs from partly sticky silk. Even if the family is named after these eye-catching nets reminiscent of cartwheels, not all types of bike nets build. Bolas spiders (genera Mastophora in America and Dicrostichus in Australia) weave small sticky balls that contain pheromone-like substances. It attracts males of a few species of moth. The very well camouflaged animals let this ball down on a thread on the front legs. The moths stick to the ball and are wrapped up by the spider.
Other species build networks that are not uniform. The sector spiders ( Zygiella ) usually leave a sector free in their web. Argiope species, which include the wasp spider , weave a distinct zigzag pattern into their web. This was originally thought to be a “stabiliment”, but today there are various speculations about it (attracting prey insects, camouflage, warning for birds).
Behavior
Some species of the family live semi-socially and form colonies of thousands of individuals pass their networks into one another, such as the domestic in Central Europe Bridge spider ( Larinioides sclopetarius ). The spiders of the Mexican Metepeira even weave large webs together.
Systematics
The World Spider Catalog lists 167 genera and 3084 species for the actual orb web spiders. (As of October 2016)
- Acacesia Simon , 1895
- Acantharachne Tullgren , 1910
- Acanthepeira Marx , 1883
- Acroaspis Karsch , 1878
- Acrosomoides Simon , 1887
- Actinacantha Simon , 1864
- Actinosoma Holmberg , 1883
- Aculepeira Chamberlin & Ivie , 1942
- Acusilas Simon , 1895
- Aethriscus Pocock , 1902
- Aethrodiscus Beach , 1913
- Aetrocantha Karsch , 1879
- Afracantha Dahl , 1914
- Agalenatea Archer , 1951
- Alenatea Song & Zhu , 1999
- Allocyclosa Levi , 1999
- Alpaida O. Pickard-Cambridge , 1889
- Amazonepeira Levi , 1989
- Anepsion Beach , 1929
- Arachnura Vinson , 1863
- Araneus Clerck , 1757
- Araniella Chamberlin & Ivie , 1942
- Aranoethra Butler , 1873
- Argiope Audouin , 1826
- Arkys Walckenaer , 1837
- Artonis Simon , 1895
- Aspidolasius Simon , 1887
- Augusta O. Pickard-Cambridge , 1877
- Austracantha Dahl , 1914
- Backobourkia Framenau, Dupérré, Blackledge & Vink , 2010
- Bertrana Keyserling , 1884
- Caerostris Thorell , 1868
- Carepalxis L. Koch , 1872
- Celaenia Thorell , 1868
- Cercidia Thorell , 1869
- Chorizopes O. Pickard-Cambridge , 1870
- Cladomelea Simon , 1895
- Cnodalia Thorell , 1890
- Coelossia Simon , 1895
- Colaranea Court & Forster , 1988
- Collina Urquhart , 1891
- Colphepeira Archer , 1941
- Cryptaranea Court & Forster , 1988
- Cyclosa crowd , 1866
- Cyphalonotus Simon , 1895
- Cyrtarachne Thorell , 1868
- Cyrtobill Framenau & Scharff , 2009
- Cyrtophora Simon , 1864
- Deione Thorell , 1898
- Deliochus Simon , 1894
- Demadiana Beach , 1929
- Dolophones Walckenaer , 1837
- Dubiepeira Levi , 1991
- Edricus O. Pickard-Cambridge , 1890
- Enacrosoma Mello-Leitão , 1932
- Encyosaccus Simon , 1895
- Epeiroides Keyserling , 1885
- Eriophora Simon , 1864
- Eriovixia Archer , 1951
- Eustacesia Caporiacco , 1954
- Eustala Simon , 1895
- Exechocentrus Simon , 1889
- Faradja Grasshoff , 1970
- Friula O. Pickard-Cambridge , 1896
- Galaporella Levi , 2009
- Gasteracantha Sundevall , 1833
- Gastroxya Benoit , 1962
- Gea C. L. Koch , 1843
- Gibbaranea Archer , 1951
- Glyptogona Simon , 1884
- Heterognatha Nicolet , 1849
- Heurodes Keyserling , 1886
- Hingstepeira Levi , 1995
- Hypognatha Guérin , 1839
- Hypsacantha Dahl , 1914
- Hypsosinga Ausserer , 1871
- Ideocaira Simon , 1903
- Isoxya Simon , 1885
- Kaira O. Pickard-Cambridge , 1889
- Kapogea Levi , 1997
- Kilima Grasshoff , 1970
- Larinia Simon , 1874
- Lariniaria Grasshoff , 1970
- Larinioides Caporiacco , 1934
- Leviellus Wunderlich , 2004
- Lewisepeira Levi , 1993
- Lipocrea Thorell , 1878
- Macracantha Simon , 1864
- Madacantha Emerit , 1970
- Mahembea Grasshoff , 1970
- Mangora O. Pickard-Cambridge , 1889
- Manogea Levi , 1997
- Mastophora Holmberg , 1876
- Mecynogea Simon , 1903
- Megaraneus Lawrence , 1968
- Melychiopharis Simon , 1895
- Metazygia F. O. Pickard-Cambridge , 1904
- Metepeira F. O. Pickard-Cambridge , 1903
- Micrathena Sundevall , 1833
- Micrepeira leg , 1953
- Micropoltys Kulczyński , 1911
- Milonia Thorell , 1890
- Molinaranea Mello-Leitão , 1940
- Nemoscolus Simon , 1895
- Nemosinga Caporiacco , 1947
- Nemospiza Simon , 1903
- Neogea Levi , 1983
- Neoscona Simon , 1864
- Nicolepeira Levi , 2001
- Novakiella Court & Forster , 1993
- Novaranea Court & Forster , 1988
- Nuctenea Simon , 1864
- Ocrepeira Marx , 1883
- Ordgarius Keyserling , 1886
- Paralarinia Grasshoff , 1970
- Paraplectana Brito Capello , 1867
- Paraplectanoides Keyserling , 1886
- Pararaneus Caporiacco , 1940
- Parawixia F. O. Pickard-Cambridge , 1904
- Parmatergus Emerit , 1994
- Pasilobus Simon , 1895
- Perilla Thorell , 1895
- Pherenice Thorell , 1899
- Phonognatha Simon , 1894
- Pitharatus Simon , 1895
- Plebs Joseph & Framenau , 2012
- Poecilarcys Simon , 1895
- Poecilopachys Simon , 1895
- Poltys C. L. Koch , 1843
- Porcataraneus Mi & Peng , 2011
- Pozonia Schenkel , 1953
- Prasonica Simon , 1895
- Prasonicella Grasshoff , 1971
- Pronoid thigh , 1936
- Pronous Keyserling , 1881
- Pseudartonis Simon , 1903
- Pseudopsyllo Beach , 1916
- Psyllo Thorell , 1899
- Pycnacantha Blackwall , 1865
- Rubrepeira Levi , 1992
- Scoloderus Simon , 1887
- Sedasta Simon , 1894
- Singa C. L. Koch , 1836
- Singafrotype Benoit , 1962
- Siwa Grasshoff , 1970
- Spilasma Simon , 1897
- Spinepeira Levi , 1995
- Spintharidius Simon , 1893
- Taczanowskia Keyserling , 1879
- Talthybia Thorell , 1898
- Tatepeira Levi , 1995
- Telaprocera Harmer & Framenau , 2008
- Testudinaria Taczanowski , 1879
- Thelacantha Hasselt , 1882
- Thorellina Berg , 1899
- Togacantha Dahl , 1914
- Umbonata Grasshoff , 1971
- Ursa Simon , 1895
- Verrucosa McCook , 1888
- Wagneriana F. O. Pickard-Cambridge , 1904
- Witica O. Pickard-Cambridge , 1895
- Wixia O. Pickard-Cambridge , 1882
- Xylethrus Simon , 1895
- Yaginumia Archer , 1960
- Zealaranea Court & Forster , 1988
- Zilla C. L. Koch , 1834
- Zygiella F. O. Pickard-Cambridge , 1902
Types (selection)
Some species of orb web spiders are listed below. Further species can be found in the generic articles above.
- Oak leaf wheel spider ( Aculepeira ceropegia ( Walckenaer , 1802) )
- Caerostris darwini Kuntner & Agnarsson , 2010
- Opuntia spider ( Cyrtophora citricola ( Forsskål , 1775) )
- Gasteracantha cancriformis ( Linnaeus , 1757)
- Common reed spider ( Larinioides cornutus ( Clerck , 1757) )
- Striped spider ( Mangora acalypha ( Walckenaer , 1802) )
- Heather-wheel spider ( Neoscona adianta ( Walckenaer , 1802) )
- Crevasse spider ( Nuctenea umbratica ( Clerck , 1757) )
- Zilla diodia ( Walckenaer , 1802)
- Sector spider ( Zygiella x-notata ( Clerck , 1757) )
Web links
Araneidae in the World Spider Catalog
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b Natural History Museum of the Burgergemeinde Bern: World Spider Catalog Version 17.5 - Araneidae . Retrieved October 11, 2016.