Name
Argiope
garden spider
Framing
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Suborder: Araneomorpha
Family: Araneidae
Genus: Argiope
Habitat
Terrestrial, scrub-associated
Feeding
Carnivorous (flying insects)
Distribution
The genus Argiope is present on all continents. The species A. lobata is distributed in southern Europe, North Africa, South Africa, Asia and northern Australia.
Conservation status
Not evaluated
Additional information
Spider with labidognathic chelicerae. Apparent condyle on chelicerae. The genus Argiope includes large and spectacular spiders with great sexual dimorphism that build very large orbicular webs among the bushes. A. lobata is characterized by its lobed opisthosoma and legs with black and yellow bands.
Additional information
Bibliography
- Abel, C., Schneider, J.M., Kuntner, M. & Harms, D. (2020). Phylogeography of the 'cosmopolitan' orb-weaver Argiope trifasciata (Araneae: Araneidae). Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 131, 61-75. https://doi.org/10.1093/biolinnean/blaa078
- Howell, F.G. & Ellender, R.D. (1984). Observations on growth and diet of Argiope aurantia Lucas (Araneidae) in a successional habitat. Journal of Arachnology, 12, 29-36. Accesible en: http://www.americanarachnology.org/JoA_free/JoA_v12_n1/arac_12_1_0029.pdf
- Jones, D. (2004). Guía de campo de los arácnidos de España y de Europa. Omega, Barcelona.
- Lueddecke, T. et al. (2020). An economic dilemma between molecular weapon systems may explain an arachno-atypical venom in wasp spiders (Argiope bruennichi). Biomolecules, 10, 978. https://doi.org/10.3390/biom10070978
- Scharff, N. & Coddington, J.A. (1997). A phylogenetic analysis of the orb-weaving spider family Araneidae (Arachnida, Araneae). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 120, 355-434. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1096-3642.1997.tb01281.x
- Walter, A. & Elgar, M.A. (2012). The evolution of novel animal signals: silk decorations as a model system. Biological Reviews 87: 686-700. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-185X.2012.00219.x