Close window

'Araneus' transversus Rainbow, 1912 Not-quite-happy-face Orbweaver

Small orbweaver, female body length 4-6mm, in rainforest in South East Queensland, Sunshine Coast hinterland and perhaps elsewhere in moist, sub-tropical to tropical coastal habitats. The cephalothorax is green with yellow around the eye region, somewhat like Araneus praesignus to which it is not closely related (it just looks similar). Abdomen whitish with two large black spots like eyes in the middle of the upper surface. A lengthways shape without scales running lengthways over the heart area is the pale yellow green of the integument (exoskeleton). This bare shape allows easier expansion and contraction of the exoskeleton to cause air to be moved in and out of the tracheae and book lungs. To the naked eye this arrangement looks like someone pursing her lips in resigned displeasure, thus the common name attributed here. The taxonomic history of this spider is rather unusual. The name, meaning banded, refers to a specimen Rainbow thought was the female of this species. It was in fact a different species altogether. Davies and Gallon found that he had described a female 'Gea', and the true female was not described. Because the male was described the name still stands. However, all Australian 'Araneus' will move to other genera, because it is a northern hemisphere genus with no locally native representatives here. Spiders named 'Araneus' here are only superficially similar to the northern hemisphere species.

Female adult 9810 from above


'Araneus' transversus
Photo: Robert Whyte

Female adult 9810 from above


'Araneus' transversus
Photo: Robert Whyte

Female adult 9810 facing


'Araneus' transversus
Photo: Robert Whyte

Female adult 9810 underneath


'Araneus' transversus
Photo: Robert Whyte

Male sub adult 230111 FWNP


Araneus transversus
Photo: Robert Whyte

Male sub adult 230111 FWNP


Araneus transversus
Photo: Robert Whyte

 
View My Stats