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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Chelicerates (Chelicerata) » Arachnids (Arachnida) » Spiders (Araneae) » True Spiders (Araneomorphae) » Entelegynae » Orb Weavers (Araneidae) » Micrathena

Genus Micrathena

Classification · Other Common Names · Synonyms and other taxonomic changes · Explanation of Names · Numbers · Size · Identification · Range · Life Cycle · Remarks · Print References · Internet References · Works Cited
Spined Micrathena - Micrathena gracilis - female Spined Micrathena - Micrathena gracilis White Micrathena - Micrathena mitrata Spider - Micrathena gracilis Pretty orb weaver - Micrathena funebris Micrathena? - Micrathena gracilis Spined Micrathena - Micrathena gracilis lateral of a lady - Micrathena gracilis - female
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Chelicerata (Chelicerates)
Class Arachnida (Arachnids)
Order Araneae (Spiders)
Infraorder Araneomorphae (True Spiders)
No Taxon (Entelegynae)
Family Araneidae (Orb Weavers)
Genus Micrathena
Other Common Names
Spiny Orbweaver
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
See the World Spider Catalog.
Explanation of Names
Author of name: Sundevall, 1833
Gender: Feminine

From the Greek adjective for "small" and the name of the goddess Athena, patroness of domestic arts and handicrafts, especially spinning and weaving.(1)
Numbers
There are 4 species in North America north of Mexico.
Size
Body length: 3.0-5.9 mm (males) & 4.7-10.8 mm (females)(2)
Identification
funebris female:

gracilis female: male:

mitrata female: male:

sagittata female: male:
Range
funebris - southern Arizona and southern California south to Costa Rica.(3)
gracilis - (eastern U.S.) central Wisconsin to southern New Hampshire and south to Panama.(2)
mitrata - (eastern U.S.) Wisconsin to Maine and south to Panama.(2)
sagittata - (eastern U.S.) central Minnesota to New Hampshire and south to Costa Rica.(2)
Life Cycle
Females place eggs in a fluffy egg sac on vegetation near the web. Young Micrathena look much different than the adults.
Remarks
These are diurnal (daytime active) spiders that build vertical, orb-shaped webs.

Micrathena are different from most araneids in that they first bite their prey, then wrap it. Most other orbweavers wrap it first, then bite.

Males are not very commonly collected with the females; they are easier to find by sweep-netting at night.
Print References
Dondale, C.D., J.H. Redner, P, Paquin and H.W. Levi, 2003. The Insects and Arachnids of Canada Part 23: The Orb-weaving Spiders of Canada and Alaska, NRC Research Press 141-150. [BugGuide entry here and google preview available here]

Levi, H.W., 1985. The spiny orb-weaver genera Micrathena and Chaetacis (Araneae: Araneidae). Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool. Harv. 150(8): 429-618. [available online from here]

Bukowski, T. & T. Christenson, 1997. Natural history and copulatory behavior of the spiny orbweaving spider Micrathena gracilis (Araneae, Araneidae). Journal of Arachnology 25(3):307–320. [available online here]
Internet References
Hilton Pond
Works Cited
1.Spiders of North America: An Identification Manual
D. Ubick, P. Paquin, P.E. Cushing and V. Roth (eds). 2005. American Arachnological Society.
2.The Orb-weaving Spiders of Canada and Alaska - The Insects and Arachnids of Canada Part 23
Dondale, C.D., J.H. Redner, P, Paquin and H.W. Levi. 2003. NRC Research Press.
3.The spiny orb-weaver genera Micrathena and Chaetacis (Araneae: Araneidae)
Herbert Levi. 1985. Bulletin Museum of Comparative Zoology Harvard 150(8): 429-618.
Contributed by Troy Bartlett on 16 February, 2004 - 1:20pm
Additional contributions by john and jane balaban, cheins, Chuck Entz, Mandy Howe, pomarinejaeger
Last updated 19 August, 2022 - 2:53pm

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