Araneidae Checklist: Orb Weaver Spiders
Orb weaver spiders from the family Araneidae Clerck, 1757 belong to the most morphologically diverse group of spiders. Almost all spiders from the family Araneidae build vertical orb webs. There are some exceptions with modified orb webs, inclined orb webs, or just radically different webs. Despite the variations, they are all known to be web builders.
Checklist
This page consists of a personal checklist of all Orb Weaver Spiders (Araneidae) that I’ve encountered over the years. I have not included the species names nor the details behind the genus placements, so this is just a personal reference. Some spiders may appear identical on photos, so please do not assume the identification of a spider simply based on the photographs here.
All photos are of live subjects shot in the field, with the dorsal view selected where available. Click on individual photos for larger views and views from other angles. As most specimens were not collected, identifications were done purely based on photographs and may not be 100% accurate.
This page will be updated regularly, please let me know if you spot any mistakes.
View my complete Flickr photo set: Araneidae – Orb Weaver Spiders.
Region Filters
Click on any region to show only records from that region.
Family: Araneidae Clerck, 1757
Genus: Acacesia Simon, 1895
Belize: Acacesia sp. A ♀
Belize: Acacesia sp. B ♀
Genus: Acrosomoides Acrosomoides Simon, 1887
Madagascar: Acrosomoides acrosomoides (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1879) ♀
Madagascar: Acrosomoides acrosomoides (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1879) (Juv)
Genus: Actinacantha Simon, 1864
Brunei: Actinacantha globulata (Walckenaer, 1841) ♀
Genus: Acusilas Simon, 1895
Singapore: Acusilas coccineus Simon, 1895 ♀
Singapore: Acusilas coccineus Simon, 1895 ♂
East Malaysia: Acusilas malaccensis Murphy & Murphy, 1983 ♀
Genus: Alpaida O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1889
Peru: Alpaida truncata (Keyserling, 1865) ♀
Peru: Alpaida truncata (Keyserling, 1865) ♂
Peru: Alpaida truncata (Keyserling, 1865) ♀
Peru: Alpaida tabula (Simon, 1895) ♀
Genus: Anepsion Strand, 1929
Singapore: Anepsion depressum (Thorell, 1877) ♂
West Malaysia: Anepsion depressum (Thorell, 1877) ♀
West Malaysia: Anepsion maritatum (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1877) ♀
Genus: Arachnura Vinson, 1863
Singapore: Arachnura sp. A ♀
Singapore: Arachnura melanura Simon, 1867 ♀
Madagascar: Arachnura sp. ♀
Singapore: Arachnura sp. A juv
Singapore: Arachnura sp. ♂
Genus: Araneus Clerck, 1757
Singapore: Araneus metalis (Thorell, 1887) ♀
West Malaysia: Araneus metalis (Thorell, 1887) ♂
Singapore: Araneus sp. C ♀
Singapore: Araneus sp. C ♂
West Malaysia: Araneus mitificus (Simon, 1886) ♀
Singapore: Araneus mitificus (Simon, 1886) ♂
West Malaysia: Araneus cf. mitificus (Simon, 1886) ♀
Singapore: Araneus sp. A ♀
Singapore: Araneus cf. noegeatus (Thorell, 1895) ♀
Singapore: Araneus cf. noegeatus (Thorell, 1895) ♂
Singapore: Araneus nox (Simon, 1877) ♀
* The epigyne of this species conforms to that of Eriovixia, and may be transferred in the near future.
Singapore: Araneus nox (Simon, 1877) ♂
Madagascar: cf. Araneus sp.
Mozambique: Araneus apricus (Karsch, 1884) ♀
Genus: Argiope Audouin, 1826
Singapore: Argiope versicolor (Doleschall, 1859) ♀
Singapore: Argiope cf. versicolor (Doleschall, 1859) ♂
Singapore: Argiope aemula (Walckenaer, 1841) ♀
Singapore: Argiope aemula (Walckenaer, 1841) ♂
Mozambique: Argiope lobata (Pallas, 1772)
or Argiope levii Bjørn, 1997 ♀
Mozambique: Argiope australis (Walckenaer, 1805) ♀
Singapore: Argiope mangal Koh, 1991 ♀
Singapore: Argiope mangal Koh, 1991 ♀
Singapore: Argiope cf. dang Jäger & Praxaysombath, 2009 ♀
West Malaysia: Argiope doleschalli Thorell, 1873 ♀
Madagascar: Argiope ranomafanensis Bjørn, 1997 ♀
East Malaysia: Argiope reinwardti (Doleschall, 1859) ♀
Peru: Argiope argentata (Fabricius, 1775) ♀
Singapore: Argiope catenulata (Doleschall, 1859) ♀
West Malaysia: Argiope hoiseni Tan, 2018 ♀
West Malaysia: Argiope chloreis Thorell, 1877 ♀
Singapore: Argiope sp. Juv ♀
Singapore: Argiope sp. Juv ♀
Genus: Aspidolasius Simon, 1887
Peru: Aspidolasius branicki (Taczanowski, 1879) ♀
Peru: Aspidolasius branicki (Taczanowski, 1879) Juv
Genus: Augusta O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1877
Madagascar: Augusta glyphica (Guérin, 1839) ♀
Genus: Austracantha Dahl, 1914
Australia: Austracantha minax (Thorell, 1859) ♀
Genus: Bertrana Keyserling, 1884
Belize: Bertrana sp. ♀
Genus: Caerostris Thorell, 1868
Singapore: Caerostris sp. A ♀
Singapore: Caerostris sp. A ♀
East Malaysia: Caerostris sp. B ♀
Singapore: Caerostris sp. B Juv ♀
Madagascar: Caerostris almae Gregorič, 2015 ♀
Caerostris extrusa Butler, 1882 ♀
Madagascar: Caerostris bojani Gregorič, 2015 ♀
Madagascar: Caerostris bojani Gregorič, 2015 ♀
Madagascar: Caerostris darwini Kuntner & Agnarsson, 2010 ♀
Caerostris cf. darwini Kuntner & Agnarsson, 2010 (Juv) 1314
Genus: Chorizopesoides Mi & Wang, 2018
Singapore: Chorizopesoides wulingensis (Yin, Wang & Xie, 1994) ♀
East Malaysia: Chorizopesoides wulingensis (Yin, Wang & Xie, 1994) ♂
Genus: Clitaetra Simon, 1889
Mozambique: Clitaetra cf. irenae Kuntner, 2006 Juv
Genus: Cyclosa Menge, 1866
Singapore: Cyclosa bifida (Doleschall, 1859) ♀
Singapore: Cyclosa bifida (Doleschall, 1859) ♂
Thailand: Cyclosa sp. B ♀
East Malaysia: Cyclosa sp. C ♀
Singapore: Cyclosa sp. D ♀
East Malaysia: Cyclosa sp. E ♀
West Malaysia: Cyclosa sp. F ♀
Singapore: Cyclosa sp. G ♀
Peru: Cyclosa sp. H ♀
Madagascar: Cyclosa sp. ♀ 1947
Mozambique: Cyclosa oculata (Walckenaer, 1802) ♀
Mozambique: Cyclosa sp. ♀ 6539
Singapore: Cyclosa sp. ♀ 4188090
Genus: Cyphalonotus Simon, 1895
Differs from Poltys by the posterior lateral eyes positioned much closer to the ocular quad.
Singapore: Cyphalonotus sp. A ♀
Singapore: Cyphalonotus sp. A ♂
Genus: Cyrtarachne Thorell, 1868
Mystery of the Pulsating Spider
Singapore: Cyrtarachne cf. inaequalis Thorell, 1895 ♀
Singapore: Cyrtarachne cf. inaequalis Thorell, 1895 ♂
Singapore: Cyrtarachne nagasakiensis Strand, 1918 ♂ ♀
Singapore: Cyrtarachne sp. C ♀ ♂
Singapore: Cyrtarachne sp. D
Genus: Cyrtophora Simon, 1864
Spiders of this genus build complex three-dimensional tent webs.
Singapore: Cyrtophora cylindroides (Walckenaer, 1841) ♀
Singapore: Cyrtophora cylindroides (Walckenaer, 1841) Juv ♀
Singapore: Cyrtophora beccarii (Thorell, 1878) ♀
Singapore: Cyrtophora beccarii (Thorell, 1878) ♀ web
Singapore: Cyrtophora cicatrosa (Stoliczka, 1869) ♀
Mozambique: Cyrtophora citricola (Forsskål, 1775) ♀
Singapore: Cyrtophora exanthematica (Doleschall, 1859) ♀
Singapore: Cyrtophora moluccensis (Doleschall, 1857) ♀
Singapore: Cyrtophora unicolor (Doleschall, 1857) ♀
Singapore: Cyrtophora unicolor (Doleschall, 1857) ♂
Madagascar: Cyrtophora sp.
Genus: Deione Thorell, 1898
East Malaysia: Deione lingulata Han, Zhu & Levi, 2009 ♂
Genus: Eriophora Simon, 1864
Belize: Eriophora nephiloides (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1889) ♀
Belize: Eriophora sp. B ♀
Belize: Eriophora sp. C ♀
Peru: Eriophora sp. D ♀
Genus: Eriovixia Archer, 1951
There are many morphs for some species which should be examined and have the DNA sequenced in order to determine the exact species.
Singapore: Eriovixia sp. A ♀
Singapore: Eriovixia sp. A ♀
Singapore: Eriovixia sp. A ♀
Singapore: Eriovixia sp. A ♀
Singapore: Eriovixia sp. A ♀
Singapore: Eriovixia sp. A ♀
Singapore: Eriovixia sp. A ♀
Singapore: Eriovixia sp. A ♀
Singapore: Eriovixia sp. A ♂
Singapore: Eriovixia sp. A ♂
Singapore: Eriovixia sp. B ♀
Singapore: Eriovixia sp. B ♂
Singapore: Eriovixia pseudocentrodes (Bösenberg & Strand, 1906) ♀
Singapore: Eriovixia sp. D ♀
Singapore: Eriovixia sp. E ♀
Singapore: Eriovixia sp. E ♀
Singapore: Eriovixia sp. E ♀
Singapore: Eriovixia sp. ♂
East Malaysia: Eriovixia sp. Juv
Singapore: Eriovixia sp. Juv
Genus: Eustala Simon, 1895
Eustala is very close to Larinia and is difficult to impossible to distinguish from photographs alone.
Belize: Eustala sp. E ♀
Genus: Gasteracantha Sundevall, 1833
Closely related to Macracantha and Thelacantha.
Mozambique: Gasteracantha cf. sanguinolenta C.L. Koch, 1844 ♀ (Juv)
East Malaysia: Gasteracantha clavigera Giebel, 1863 ♀
Thailand: Gasteracantha diadesmia Thorell, 1887 ♀
Singapore: Gasteracantha diardi (Lucas, 1835) ♀
Singapore: Gasteracantha doriae Simon, 1877 ♀
West Malaysia: Gasteracantha doriae Simon, 1877 ♀
Madagascar: Gasteracantha versicolor formosa Vinson, 1863 ♀
Mozambique: Gasteracantha falcicornis Butler, 1873 ♀
Singapore: Gasteracantha kuhli C. L. Koch, 1837 ♀
Singapore: Gasteracantha kuhli C. L. Koch, 1837 ♂
East Malaysia: Gasteracantha sp. ♀
East Malaysia: Gasteracantha sp. ♂
Genus: Gea C. L. Koch, 1843
East Malaysia: Gea sp. A ♀
Singapore: Gea sp. A ♀
Singapore: Gea sp. A ♂
Madagascar: cf. Gea sp. ♀
Genus: Hypsacantha Dahl, 1914
Mozambique: Hypsacantha crucimaculata (Dahl, 1914) ♀
Genus: Isoxya Simon, 1885
Mozambique: Isoxya tabulata (Thorell, 1859) ♀
Genus: Kapogea Levi, 1997
Peru: Kapogea sp. A ♀
Genus: Lipocrea Thorell, 1878
Singapore: Lipocrea fusiformis (Thorell, 1877) ♀
Madagascar: cf. Lipocrea sp.
Genus: Macracantha Simon, 1864
Used to be a sub-genus of Gasteracantha.
Thailand: Macracantha arcuata (Fabricius, 1793) ♀
Thailand: Macracantha arcuata (Fabricius, 1793) ♀
Singapore: Macracantha sp. ♀
East Malaysia: Macracantha sp. ♀
Singapore: Macracantha sp. ♀ ♂
Singapore: Macracantha sp. ♂
Singapore: Macracantha hasselti (C. L. Koch, 1837) ♀
Singapore: Macracantha hasselti (C. L. Koch, 1837) ♂
Singapore: Macracantha sp. ♀
West Malaysia: Macracantha sp. ♀
Genus: Mangora O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1889
Peru: Mangora sp. A ♀
Genus: Metazygia F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1904
Peru: Metazygia sp. A ♀
Peru: Metazygia sp. B ♀
Genus: Micrathena Sundevall, 1833
Peruvian Amazon’s Thorned Heart and Other Thorn Orb Weavers
Peru: Micrathena clypeata (Walckenaer, 1805) ♀
Peru: Micrathena clypeata (Walckenaer, 1805) ♂
Peru: Micrathena beta Caporiacco, 1947 ♀
Belize: Micrathena funebris (Marx, 1898) ♂
Peru: Micrathena kirbyi (Perty, 1833) ♀
Peru: Micrathena kirbyi (Perty, 1833) ♂
Peru: Micrathena pungens (Walckenaer, 1841) ♀
Peru: Micrathena pungens (Walckenaer, 1841) ♂
Peru: Micrathena pungens (Walckenaer, 1841) juv ♀
Peru: Micrathena excavata (C. L. Koch, 1836) ♀
Peru: Micrathena schreibersi (Perty, 1833) ♀
Peru: Micrathena triangularis (C. L. Koch, 1836) ♀
Peru: Micrathena gr. triangularispinosa (De Geer, 1778) ♀
Peru: Micrathena triangularispinosa (De Geer, 1778) ♀
Peru: Micrathena gr. plana (C. L. Koch, 1836) ♀
Peru: Micrathena cf. plana (C. L. Koch, 1836) ♀
Peru: Micrathena gr. plana (C. L. Koch, 1836) ♀
Belize: Micrathena sp. ♀
Peru: Micrathena sp.
Genus: Milonia Thorell, 1890
Singapore: Milonia sp. A ♀
West Malaysia: Milonia sp. A ♀
Genus: Neogea Levi, 1983
Singapore: Neogea nocticolor (Thorell, 1887) ♀
Singapore: Neogea nocticolor (Thorell, 1887) ♂ ♀
Singapore: Neogea nocticolor (Thorell, 1887) ♀
Genus: Neoscona Simon, 1864
There are many morphs for some species which should be examined and have the DNA sequenced in order to determine the exact species.
Indonesia: Neoscona sp. A ♀
Singapore: Neoscona sp. A ♀
Singapore: Neoscona sp. A ♀
Singapore: Neoscona sp. A ♀
Singapore: Neoscona sp. A ♀
Singapore: Neoscona sp. B ♀
East Malaysia: Neoscona sp. B ♂
Singapore: Neoscona sp. C ♀
Singapore: Neoscona sp. C ♀
Singapore: Neoscona sp. C ♂
Singapore: Neoscona theisi (Walckenaer, 1841) ♀
Singapore: Neoscona sp. E ♀
Singapore: Neoscona sp. E ♀
Singapore: Neoscona sp. F ♀
Singapore: Neoscona sp. F ♂
Singapore: Neoscona sp. G ♀
Singapore: Neoscona sp. H ♀
Madagascar: Neoscona sp. ♀
Madagascar: cf. Neoscona sp.
Mozambique: Neoscona rufipalpis (Lucas, 1858) ♀
Mozambique: Neoscona rufipalpis (Lucas, 1858) ♂
Mozambique: Neoscona subfusca (C.L.Koch, 1837) ♀
Mozambique: Neoscona subfusca (C.L.Koch, 1837) ♀
Mozambique: Neoscona triangula (Keyserling, 1864) ♀
Mozambique: Neoscona triangula (Keyserling, 1864) ♀
Mozambique: Neoscona sp. ♀
Mozambique: Neoscona cf. hirta (C.L. Koch, 1844) ♀
Mozambique: cf. Neoscona sp. ♂
Mozambique: cf. Neoscona sp. ♀
Mozambique: Neoscona sp. ♀
Mozambique: Neoscona theisi theisiella (Tullgren, 1910) ♀
Genus: Ocrepeira Marx, 1883
Peru: Ocrepeira sp. A ♀
Genus: Ordgarius Keyserling, 1886
Singapore: Ordgarius sexspinosus (Thorell, 1894) ♀
Singapore: Ordgarius sp. ♀
Genus: Pararaneus Caporiacco, 1940
Mozambique: Pararaneus cyrtoscapus (Pocock, 1898) ♂ 6081
Mozambique: Pararaneus perforatus (Thorell, 1899) ♂
Genus: Parawixia F. O. P. Cambridge, 1904
Parawixia dehaani is found to be highly polymorphic.
Singapore: Parawixia sp. A ♀
Singapore: Parawixia sp. A ♀
Singapore: Parawixia sp. A ♀
Singapore: Parawixia sp. A ♀
Singapore: Parawixia sp. A ♀
Singapore: Parawixia sp. A ♀
Peru: Parawixia sp. B ♀
Peru: Parawixia sp. C ♀
Genus: Pasilobus Simon, 1895
Genus: Plebs Joseph & Framenau, 2012
West Malaysia: Plebs sp. A ♀
Genus: Poltys C. L. Koch, 1843
Some species may appear similar to Cyphalonotus.
Singapore: Poltys elevatus Thorell, 1890 ♀
Singapore: Poltys stygius Thorell, 1898 ♀
Singapore: Poltys illepidus C. L. Koch, 1843 ♀
Singapore: Poltys illepidus C. L. Koch, 1843 ♀
Madagascar: Poltys sp. ♀
Madagascar: Poltys sp. ♀
Mozambique: Poltys furcifer Simon, 1881 ♀
Mozambique: Poltys furcifer Simon, 1881 ♀
Mozambique: Poltys sp.
Mozambique: Poltys sp.
Genus: Prasonica Simon, 1895
Madagascar: Prasonica cf. seriata Simon, 1895
Madagascar: Prasonica cf. seriata Simon, 1895
Mozambique: Prasonica nigrotaeniata (Simon, 1909) ♀
Mozambique: Prasonica nigrotaeniata (Simon, 1909) ♀
Genus: Singa C. L. Koch, 1836
Singapore: Singa perpolita (Thorell, 1892) ♀
*May be transferred to Araneus perpolitus (Thorell, 1892)
Singapore: Singa perpolita (Thorell, 1892) ♂
*May be transferred to Araneus perpolitus (Thorell, 1892)
Genus: Talthybia Thorell, 1898
Often mistaken to be Dolophones which is another wrap-around orb weaver that occurs only in Australia.
Singapore: Talthybia sp. A ♀
Singapore: Talthybia sp. A ♀
Singapore: Talthybia sp. B ♀
West Malaysia: Talthybia sp. B ♀
Genus: Thelacantha Hasselt, 1907
Closely related to Gasteracantha.
Singapore: Thelacantha brevispina (Doleschall, 1857) ♀
Genus: Xylethrus Simon, 1895
Genus: Verrucosa McCook, 1888
Peru: Verrucosa sp. A ♀
Peru: Verrucosa sp. A ♂
Belize: Verrucosa cf. arenata (Walckenaer, 1841) ♀
Genus: Wagneriana F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1904
Peru: Wagneriana sp. A ♀
Belize: Wagneriana sp. B ♀
Peru: Wagneriana sp. C ♀
Peru: Wagneriana sp. D ♂
Genus: Zygiella F. O. P.-Cambridge, 1902
Zygiella is largely a European genus. These species might be transferred pending after a revision of the genus.
Singapore: Zygiella sp. A ♀
Singapore: Zygiella sp. B ♀
Singapore: Zygiella sp. C ♀
Singapore: Zygiella sp. C ♂
Unidentified Araneidae
West Malaysia: Araneidae ♂ 8678
East Malaysia: Araneidae ♂ 5035
East Malaysia: Araneidae ♀ 5521
Singapore: Araneidae ♀ 6747
Singapore: Araneidae ♂ 9122
Singapore: Araneidae ♂ 5811
Singapore: Araneidae Juv
Singapore: Araneidae ♂
Singapore: Araneidae ♀ 4830
Singapore: Araneidae ♀ 4756
Singapore: Araneidae ♂ 5239139
Singapore: Araneidae ♂ 5229107
Singapore: Araneidae ♀ 8011564
Singapore: Araneidae ♀ 8011602
Singapore: Araneidae ♂ 4188218
Singapore: Araneidae ♂ 4188304
Singapore: Araneidae 3462
Singapore: Araneidae 4430
East Malaysia: Araneidae ♀ 0280
Mozambique: Araneidae 4426
East Malaysia: Araneidae ♀ 3694
Singapore: Araneidae ♂ 3813
Behaviour
Singapore: Araneus/Singa sp. moulting
Singapore: Nephila pilipes moulting
Singapore: Argiope sp. weaving egg sac
Singapore: Araneus sp. weaving egg sac
TAGS