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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Chelicerates (Chelicerata) » Arachnids (Arachnida) » Spiders (Araneae) » True Spiders (Araneomorphae) » Entelegynae » Orb Weavers (Araneidae) » Araneus » Giant Lichen Orbweaver (Araneus bicentenarius)

Species Araneus bicentenarius - Giant Lichen Orbweaver

Classification · Synonyms and other taxonomic changes · Explanation of Names · Size · Identification · Range · Habitat · Season · See Also · Print References · Works Cited

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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 Araneus

Species bicentenarius (Giant Lichen Orbweaver)

Synonyms and other taxonomic changes

See the World Spider Catalog.

Explanation of Names

Araneus bicentenarius (McCook)

Type specimen collected by McCook during Philadelphia's bicentennial in 1882 (1). (City founded by William Penn in 1682.)

Size

13-28 mm (female), 7 mm (male) (1)

Identification

Female (dorsal/ventral)

Male coloration as in female, but with a longitudinal white mark anterior on dorsum; second tibia unusually large. (2)

Range

This species is widespread: Texas to Florida and north to Minnesota and Nova Scotia. One male reported from New Mexico. (2)

Habitat

Woodlands, on trees, among lichens. (2)

Season

Apr-Sept (BG data)

See Also

Eustala can be similar in pattern but is smaller.

Print References

Howell and Jenkins (2004), pp. 139-140 (1)

Levi, H.W. 1971. The diadematus group of the orb-weaver genus Araneus north of Mexico (Araneae: Araneidae). Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology, 141(4):131-179 (Biodiversity Heritage Library).

Works Cited

1.	Spiders of the Eastern US, A Photographic Guide W. Mike Howell and Ronald L. Jenkins. 2004. pearson education.

2.	The diadematus group of the orb-weaver genus Araneus north of Mexico H. W. Levi. 1971. Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool. 141(4): 131-179.

Contributed by Troy Bartlett on 16 February, 2004 - 1:20pm
Additional contributions by cotinis, Lynette Elliott, cheins, Chuck Entz, Mike Quinn, pfeiffer
Last updated 9 January, 2023 - 10:47am

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