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

Species Araneus gemma

Brown Orb Spider Female - Araneus gemma - female

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 gemma (Araneus gemma)

Synonyms and other taxonomic changes

See the World Spider Catalog.

Explanation of Names

Latin for "bud" or "gem"

Size

The female measures 10 to 12mm* long; male smaller than the female, measuring 6 to 8 mm long (1)

(*according to BugGuide records the female may be as large as 23 mm)

Identification

Female: carapace and abdomen vary in color from gray to brownish purple. The abdomen has anterior paired humps and may have a medial light stripe that varies in length.

Male: similar in color and pattern to the female.

Range

Western Montana west to British Columbia and south to California (1)

Habitat

Builds web in open areas of trees, large shrubs and around houses.

Remarks

This species is thought to mate with A. gemmoides which creates a cross between those two species. [This needs a citation.]

See Also

Araneus andrewsi has mottled brown abdomen; usually does not have the medial brown stripe on the abdomen.

Neoscona crucifera is more orange-brown, no abdominal medial stripe and no paired humps

Eriophora ravilla - This species also has a brown form with a central dorsal white line.

Works Cited

1.	The Orb-weaving Spiders of Canada and Alaska - The Insects and Arachnids of Canada Part 23 Dondale, C.D., J.H. Redner, P, Paquin and H.W. Levi. 2003. NRC Research Press.

Contributed by Christopher C Wirth on 4 October, 2005 - 4:03pm
Additional contributions by Lynette Elliott, cheins, Chuck Entz
Last updated 13 January, 2023 - 7:41am

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