Argiope aetherea
Encyclopedia
Argiope aetherea is a common, large orb-web spider
This species is commonly known as the St Andrew's Cross spider due to the characteristic cross-shaped web decorations
often included in their webs by female spiders. A. aetherea is similar in appearance to A. keyserlingi
, however female A. aetherea are generally larger than A. keyserlingi. Like most orb-web spiders, A. aetherea shows considerable sexual size dimorphism
, with females being many times larger than males.
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Orb-weaver spider
The "typical" orb-weaver spiders are the most common group of builders of spiral wheel-shaped webs often found in gardens, fields and forests...
This species is commonly known as the St Andrew's Cross spider due to the characteristic cross-shaped web decorations
Web decorations
A web decoration or stabilimentum is a conspicuous silk structure included in the webs of some species of orb-web spider...
often included in their webs by female spiders. A. aetherea is similar in appearance to A. keyserlingi
Argiope keyserlingi
Argiope keyserlingi is a common species of orb-web spider found on the east coast of Australia, from central New South Wales to southern Queensland. It is very similar in appearance to the closely related north Queensland species, Argiope aetherea. A...
, however female A. aetherea are generally larger than A. keyserlingi. Like most orb-web spiders, A. aetherea shows considerable sexual size dimorphism
Sexual dimorphism
Sexual dimorphism is a phenotypic difference between males and females of the same species. Examples of such differences include differences in morphology, ornamentation, and behavior.-Examples:-Ornamentation / coloration:...
, with females being many times larger than males.
Distribution
The species is commonly found along the east coast of Australia, in particular Queensland, New South Wales, and Victoria. It occurs also in ChinaChina
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
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Subspecies
There exists a subspecies from New GuineaNew Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
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- Argiope aetherea annulipes ThorellTamerlan ThorellTord Tamerlan Teodor Thorell was a Swedish arachnologist.Thorell studied spiders with Giacomo Doria at the Museo Civico di Storia Naturale de Genoa...
, 1881