Argiope aetherea

Argiope aetherea
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Subphylum:	Chelicerata
Class:	Arachnida
Order:	Araneae
Infraorder:	Araneomorphae
Family:	Araneidae
Genus:	Argiope
Species:	A. aetherea
Binomial name
Argiope aetherea (Walckenaer, 1841)
Synonyms
Epeira aetherea Walckenaer, 1841 L. Koch, 1871 Bradley, 1876 Strand, 1911 Argiope wolfi Argiope brownii Strand, 1911 Argiope variabilis O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1877 Kulczyński, 1911 Argiope udjirica Argiope verecunda Strand, 1911 Argiope regalis Bradley, 1876 Thorell, 1878 Strand, 1913 Gea rotunda Argiope aetherea Hogg, 1915 Argiope novae-pommeraniae Argiope lunata (Walckenaer, 1841) Strand, 1915 Argiope wogeonicola Argiope maerens Argiope friedericii

Argiope aetherea is a common, large orb-web spider (family Araneidae). Like other species of Argiope, it is commonly known as the St Andrew's Cross spider, due to the characteristic cross-shaped web decorations female spiders often include in their webs. A. aetherea is similar in appearance to A. keyserlingi, however female A. aetherea are generally larger than A. keyserlingi. Like most orb-web spiders, A. aetherea shows considerable sexual size dimorphism, with females being many times larger than males.

Distribution

Argiope aetherea is found from China to Australia.

Subspecies

There exists a subspecies from New Guinea:

• Argiope aetherea annulipes Thorell, 1881

Gallery

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  Argiope aetherea with cross shaped web decoration

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  Argiope aetherea (female, ventral)

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  Female, dorsal

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  Same spider, ventral

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  Argiope aetherea