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Argiope trifasciata
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Opisthokonta >
Metazoa
(animals) > Bilateria > Ecdysozoa > Panarthropoda > Tritocerebra >
Arthropoda > Arachnomorpha > Cheliceriformes > Chelicerata > Euchelicerata
> Arachnida > Araneae
> Araneomorpha > Family: Araneidae
> Genus: Argiope
Argiope fasciata (15-18/25mm body
length) has a finely banded abdomen with thin brown, yellow and silvery-white
bands. The body is covered with tiny silvery setae (hairs) that point towards
the head of the spider resulting in the shedding of rain as spiders always rest
head downwards. It may even satisfy the spiders' water requirements. The tiny
male only measures 4-5mm and is usually over looked.
A cosmopolitan species (worldwide
distribution) it can be found resting head down on its vertical web amongst the
grasses over most of southern Africa extending northwards through Africa. It is
absent only from Europe.
Text by Norman Larsen ©. |
