Spiders of Zihuatanejo

ORDER ARANEAE

-Typical Spiders (Suborder Araneomorphae)

-Entelegyne Spiders (Infraorder Entelegynae)

-Orbweavers and Allies (Superfamily Araneoidea)

-Orbweavers (Family Araneidae)

-Subfamily Gasteracanthinae

-Spiny Orbweavers (Genus Gasteracantha)

-Spinybacked Orbweaver (Gasteracantha cancriformis)

The spiny orb-weavers (Gasteracantha cancriformis), are colourful spiders found in different colours like orange, white, and yellow with spines and spots on their back.The females always have six pointed spines on their shell, but the shell color is either white, yellow or orange, and the spines are either black or red. Males are smaller and do not have spines. The spiny orb weaver spins flat, round shaped webs in shrubs, trees, and in the corners of windows and similar outdoor areas of buildings.The web captures flying, and sometimes crawling, pests such as beetles, moths, mosquitoes, whiteflies, and other small fly species.