Genus Acanthepeira

See the World Spider Catalog.

There are 4 species in the United States & Canada.

A. cherokee Levi, 1976

A. marion Levi, 1976

A. stellata (Walckenaer, 1805)

A. venusta (Banks, 1896)

It is exceedingly difficult to separate some Acanthepeira specimens from the southeastern United States and it appears that three species interbreed.(1)

A. cherokee - Females (8.5-10.5 mm) may differ from other species in this genus by having smaller/less distinct abdominal humps. Males (6.5-11 mm) have 4th coxa without tubercle. Habitat is moist bottomland woods.

A. marion - Females (10-15.5 mm) easily recognized by rounded humps. Males (7-10.5 mm) have 4th coxa with tubercle.

A. stellata - Females (7-15 mm) Larger than venusta, more rounded, darker, deeply colored abdomen. Of the 4 species this is the only one which has AMEs smaller than secondary eyes. Female scape can be variable, esp. those from FL. Males (5-8 mm) have 4th coxa with tubercle and retrolateral macrosetae of fourth femur about equal in size.

A. venusta - Females (6-10 mm) Can be distinguished by smaller size, narrow abdomen & lighter less contrasting pattern. This is the only species that might have ventral white marks. It might have a white transverse mark or two white spots behind the genital groove. Males (5-7.5 mm) have 4th coxa without tubercle.

A. cherokee - AL, AR, FL, GA, IL, MD, MO, MS, NC, TX, VA

A. marion - AL, FL, GA, IL, KY, LA, MO, MS, NC, PA, SC, TN

A. stellata - AL, AZ, CT, DE, FL, GA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MB, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, NC, NH, NJ, NM, NY, OH, OK, ON, PQ, RI, SC, TN, TX, VA, VT, WI, WV

A. venusta - FL, GA, NC, SC, VA

Egg sac is attached to a leaf and enclosed in a mass of loose brown silk.

Egg Sac Images

Males may resemble Wagneriana tauricornis.