Overview
Brief Summary
Female Micrathena gracilis are easily recognized by their bulky, striped or mottled abdomen adorned with five pairs of black-tipped spines. They are usually about 1 cm long. This species is sexually dimorphic. Males are much smaller than females, and their abdomen is long and flat and lacks prominent spines.
The Spined Micrathena lives in dense deciduous forests in eastern North America and Central America. Females construct a web in large open spaces in the understory. The web is two-dimensional with a sticky, densely woven spiral (Uetz & Hartsock 1987). It is used to trap flying insects. Flies (Diptera) are the most common prey (Uetz 1990, Uetz & Harstock 1987).
Mature males do not build webs (Bukowski & Christenson 1997, Hodge 1987). They visit females in their webs to mate. Sexual cannibalism appears to be rare in this species and has been observed only when two males courted a female simultaneously (Bukowski & Christenson 2000)
- Bukowski, T. C., and T. E. Christenson. 1997. Natural history and copulatory behavior of the spiny orbweaving spider Micrathena gracilis (Araneae, Araneidae). Journal of Arachnology 25: 307-320.
- Bukowski, T. C., and T. E. Christenson. 2000. Determinants of mating frequency in the spiny orbweaving spider, Micrathena gracilis (Araneae, Araneidae). Journal of Insect Behavior 13:331–352.
- Hodge, M. A. 1987. Macrohabitat selection by the orb weaving spider, Micrathena gracilis. Psyche 94:347-362.
- Uetz, G. W. 1990. Prey selection in web-building spiders and evolution of prey defenses. Pages 93-128 in Insect Defenses: Adaptive Mechanisms and Strategies of Prey and Predators. David L. Evans and Justin O. Schmidt, eds. SUNY Press.
- Uetz, G. W., and S. P. Harstock. 1987. Prey selection in an orb-weaving spider: Micrathena gracilis (Araneae: Araneidae). Psyche 94 (1-2): 103-116.
Supplier: Katja Schulz
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Distribution
National Distribution
Canada
Origin: Native
Regularity: Regularly occurring
Currently: Present
Confidence: Confident
Type of Residency: Year-round
United States
Origin: Native
Regularity: Regularly occurring
Currently: Present
Confidence: Confident
Type of Residency: Year-round
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Molecular Biology and Genetics
Molecular Biology
Barcode data: Micrathena gracilis
There are 2 barcode sequences available from BOLD and GenBank. Below is a sequence of the barcode region Cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (COI or COX1) from a member of the species. See the BOLD taxonomy browser for more complete information about this specimen and other sequences.
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Download FASTA File
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Statistics of barcoding coverage: Micrathena gracilis
Public Records: 2
Species: 2
Species With Barcodes: 1
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Conservation
Conservation Status
National NatureServe Conservation Status
Canada
Rounded National Status Rank: NNR - Unranked
United States
Rounded National Status Rank: NNR - Unranked
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NatureServe Conservation Status
Rounded Global Status Rank: GNR - Not Yet Ranked
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Wikipedia
Spined Micrathena
Micrathena gracilis is a spider in the family Araneidae (orb-weavers), commonly known as the Spined Micrathena. This spider spins a moderately large (can be 30 cm (11.81 in) or more across), very tightly coiled web, often in wooded or brushy areas. It is completely harmless to humans.
Physical characteristics
The only web-building members of the species are the females. Females are 8-10 mm long. They exhibit a bulbous abdomen with a total of ten spines. Males exhibit a fair amount of sexual dimorphism. They tend to be around only half the size of the females. Also, they have fewer spines, a flatter abdomen, and a slightly lighter tone. Although males can produce silk, they mostly use it in the mating ritual, which frequently also proves fatal.
Life cycle
Micrathena gracilis hatches in the spring, the image of an adult. After the summer's growth, the female lays eggs in a sack. These remain relatively dormant through the winter months. The general life span is one year in length.
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