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Photo#1179967
Neoscona sp.? - Neoscona crucifera - female

Neoscona sp.? - Neoscona crucifera - Female
Austin, Travis County, Texas, USA
December 29, 2012
Size: ~2cm
Probably Neoscona - we could discern a longitudinal dorsal groove. She lived on a privet bush, weaved a new net almost each morning, fed on tree cockroaches, and spent nights in the same "nest" made of stitched privet leaves. We watched her growing bigger over a few weeks. On night December 30, 2013 she disappeared. We did not find an egg sack.
Please comment on a brown comma-like structure sticking out of the epigyne (see the middle photo.)

Images of this individual: tag all
Neoscona sp.? - Neoscona crucifera - female Neoscona sp.? - Neoscona crucifera - female Neoscona sp.? - Neoscona crucifera - female

Moved
Moved from ID Request.

 
Noescona crucifera
Laura:

Could you once again look on the middle photo and comment on a brown comma-like structure sticking out of the epigyne?
Thanks -

Andrew

 
Sorry, missed the comment ...
request. It's a part of the epigynum found on some (or is it all? I don't know) species in Araneidae called a scape. I think it's a kind of ovipositor.

 
I edited the above comment ...
in case you read it while I was still editing. I initially said I didn't know what it was for, then remembered I did, then saw a typo, etc.

 
scape (ovipositor)
Thank you, Laura -

Andrew

Yes, looks to us to be
Neoscona crucifera

 
Neoscona crucifera
Thanks -

Andrew

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