Species Eriophora edax

See the World Spider Catalog.

Eriophora edax (Blackwall, 1863)

Adult female body length 12-16mm.(1)

Adult male body length 8-12mm.(1)

A nocturnal orbweaver(2) that is variable in color and somewhat variable in shape, too:

"Some specimens have the cephalothorax red-brown and abdomen almost black; others have the cephalothorax yellowish-brown and the abdomen white or yellow-brown. The abdomen may have a folium-like patch or may be almost completely white as in a specimen from Peru. The posterior dorsal hump is distinct in all specimens, but there may be two posterior humps in a row and other humps." "Clypeus dark brown, as is median eye area not including the posterior median eyes but including the anterior lateral eyes."-from Levi 1970(1)

Females:

Males:

Southwestern United States: mainly southern border of California and Arizona, but also the extreme south of Texas. Also continues south into Peru and Brazil.(1)

Page creation based on the identification of these images by Dr. Lenny Vincent.

Juvenile specimens of Eustala and Eriophora are often confused.