Explanation of Names
Mangora O. P.-Cambridge, 1889
Numbers
There are 7 species north of Mexico in North America.
Identification
M. gibberosa:
Black lines on the ventral side of the front legs
lines on the back of the dorsal abdomen
dark median line down the center of the carapace
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M. maculata
Three pair of spots on the posterior dorsal abdomen
some green near the sides and scattered down the center of the carapace
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M. placida
A dark area from near the front of the abdomen which widens posterior, may be black or brown
has a heavy brown centerline which widens forward near the eyes
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M. spiculata
Less black on the abdomen than M. placida - does not continue to the front of the abdomen
more than three pair of spots on the back of the abdomen which widen into blotches
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An abbreviated Levi key from The American orb-weaver genera Larinia, Cercidia and Mangora north of Mexico
(1):
A black longitudinal line on venters of femora one and two (Fig. 118); dorsum of abdomen with 2-3 lines (Figs. 110, 119). – 2
No black longitudinal line on venters of first and second femora; abdomen marked with spots or patches -- 3
2 This leads to: eastern United States . – M. gibberosa
And one from southernmost Texas. – M. fascialata
3 This leads to another southernmost Texas to Guatemala. – M. calcarifera
And to – 4
4 This leads to one from Arizona and New Mexico to Guatemala. – M. passiva
And to – 5
5 Carapace without black median longitudinal line (Fig. 58); abdomen with three pairs of black spots posteriorly (Fig. 60) — M. maculata
Carapace with median black longitudinal stripe ( Fig. 96 ) ; abdomen marked with more anterior spots (Figs. 87, 95) -- 6
6 Area between posterior abdominal spots black (Fig. 95); eastern U. S. – M. placida
Area between posterior black abdominal spots gray ( Fig. 87 ); Gulf States. .-- M. spiculata
Range
AL, AR, CT, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, ND, NE, NH, NY, OH, OK, ON, PA, QP, RI, TN, TX, VA, VT, WI, WV
AL, AR, CT, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, MI, MO, MS, NE, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, SC, TN, TX, VA, WV
AL, AR, CT, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OK, ON, PA, QP, RI, SC, TX, VA, VT, WI, WV
AL, AR, FL, GA, LA, MO, MS, NC, NJ, PA, SC, TX
M. passiva makes it up into southern Arizona and New Mexico
M. calcarifera and M. fascialata make it up into extreme southernmost Texas
Print References
Levi, H. W. (2005). The orb-weaver genus Mangora of Mexico, Central America, and the West Indies (Araneae: Araneidae). Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology, 158(4), 139-181. (
Full Text Here) - Covers the more southern species.
