Micrathena

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Micrathena
File:Arrow-shaped Micrathena - Micrathena sagittata, Julie Metz Wetlands, Woodbridge, Virginia - 8004905359.jpg
Micrathena sagittata in Virginia, USA
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Infraorder: Araneomorphae
Family: Araneidae
Genus: Micrathena
Sundevall, 1833[1]
Type species
Micrathena aureola
(C. L. Koch, 1836)
Species

119, see text

Synonyms[1]
  • Chaetacis Simon, 1895[2]
  • Ildibaha Keyserling, 1892[3]
  • Thaumastobella Mello-Leitão, 1945[4]

Micrathena, known as spiny orbweavers, is a genus of orb-weaver spiders first described by Carl Jakob Sundevall in 1833.[5][6] Micrathena contains more than a hundred species, most of them Neotropical woodland-dwelling species. The name is derived from the Greek "micro", meaning "small", and the goddess Athena.[7]

Species with extremely long spines evolved at least eight times in the genus Micrathena and likely function as anti-predator defenses.[8] Gasteracantha orb-weavers also have hardened abdomens with variously shaped spines, but they are not closely related to Micrathena within the orb-weaver family.[9]

These spiders are active during the daytime and build vertical orb webs. Unlike many other orb-weavers, members of Micrathena bite their prey before wrapping it. When laying eggs, females will place the egg sac on vegetation near the web.[5]

Species

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As of April 2019 the genus Micrathena contains 119 species:[1]

File:White Micrathena - Micrathena mitrata, Little River Canyon National Preserve, Fort Payne, Alabama.jpg
Micrathena mitrata in Alabama, USA
File:Spiny crab orbweaver (Micrathena cf. sexpinosa), Panama (9733219590).jpg
Micrathena sexpinosa in Panama
File:Micrathena sp. (14758694903).jpg
Micrathena vigorsi from Colombia to Brazil
File:Spined Micrathena - Micrathena gracilis, Julie Metz Wetlands, Woodbridge, Virginia.jpg
Micrathena gracilis in Virginia, USA

In North America

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Although the genus includes over a hundred species, only four are found in the United States and Canada.[10] Among those four species, female spined micrathena (Micrathena gracilis) have five pairs of conical tubercles, female M. mitrata have two short posterior pairs, and female arrow-shaped micrathena (M. sagittata) have three pairs.[5] Only two species are recorded from Canada, being M. sagittata, found primarily in the Pinery Provincial Park, and M. gracilis, which is more widespread.[5][11]

References

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