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Species Micrathena gracilis - Spined Micrathena

Micrathea gracilis - Micrathena gracilis - female Micrathena gracilis Spined Micrathena, female  - Micrathena gracilis Araneidae, Spined Micrathena - Micrathena gracilis Spined Micrathena - Micrathena gracilis Spiny Orb Weaver Spider? - Micrathena gracilis Micrathena gracilis - male Spined Micrathena - Micrathena gracilis
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
Species gracilis (Spined Micrathena)
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Explanation of Names
Latin: "slender, slight"
Size
Females 8 - 10 mm, males average 4.5 mm.
One specimen (a female) from Durham, North Carolina, 30 July, measured 11 mm from head to tip of abdomen.
Identification
Females are mostly white or pale yellow, mottled with black or brown. They have ten spines on the chunky abdomen. Size 8 - 10 mm.


Males are flat with an elongated yellowish or white abdomen. They lack all but one or two abdominal spines and are smaller than females, averaging 4.5mm in size.