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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Chelicerates (Chelicerata) » Arachnids (Arachnida) » Spiders (Araneae) » True Spiders (Araneomorphae) » Entelegynae » Orb Weavers (Araneidae) » Araneus » Araneus gemma
Photo#221190
Orb weaver - Araneus gemma
Copyright © 2008 Matt Coors

Orb weaver - Araneus gemma
La Jolla, San Diego County, California, USA
September 1, 2008
Size: body was almost 1"
Found this spider while walking to school. Am I right in identifying this as a female Araneus gemma? It seems to match the others of that species in the guide, even though the back markings seem a little different than the spider I posted the other day--which was also suggested to be A. gemma:

http://bugguide.net/node/view/220044

Any thoughts would be appreciated!

Images of this individual: tag all
Orb weaver - Araneus gemma Orb weaver - Araneus gemma Orb weaver - Araneus gemma Orb weaver - Araneus gemma
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Contributed by Matt Coors on 3 September, 2008 - 1:40am
Last updated 8 September, 2008 - 3:10am

Yes
I think you have this right.
… Lynette Elliott, 3 September, 2008 - 8:59am login or register to post comments

 
Thanks for the confirmation!
Is it common for two members of the same species to differ so much in coloring (as this individual differs from the one in my link above)? I check on both of these spiders each day on my walk to school, and I'm always amazed at how different they look.
… Matt Coors, 6 September, 2008 - 12:09am login or register to post comments

 
spider coloring
I don't know how common it is, but spiders within a species can vary greatly in their coloring. Pattern is more reliable, but even then the coloring can make the pattern look different. Many spiders can only be ID'd by an expert using a microscope.
… Lynette Elliott, 6 September, 2008 - 9:29am login or register to post comments

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