Species Micrathena gracilis - Spined Micrathena

Classification · Synonyms and other taxonomic changes · Explanation of Names · Size · Identification

Spined Micrathena - Micrathena gracilis - female

Micrathena gracilis - Spined Micrathena - Micrathena gracilis - male

Spined Micrathena Orbweaver (?) - 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

See the World Spider Catalog.

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.

Contributed by Troy Bartlett on 16 February, 2004 - 1:20pm
Additional contributions by cotinis, Hannah Nendick-Mason, Lynette Elliott, cheins, Chuck Entz
Last updated 4 February, 2023 - 8:20am

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