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Araneus gemmoides Chamberlin & Ivie, 1935

western plains orbweaver

	FAMILY: ARANEIDAE Simon, 1895     Genus: Araneus Clerck, 1757         Species: Araneus gemmoides Chamberlin & Ivie, 1935
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General Comments: The web is large and has about 20 radii (Dondale et al., 2003). Other common names in use are the jewel spider, barn spider, cat or cat-faced spider. Where the two co-occur along the Pacific coast, inland to Southern British Columbia and Montana, Araneus gemmoides Chamberlin & Ivie, 1935 can be confused with Araneus gemma (McCook, 1888) but the latter has a paler dorsal, median line, often along the entire length of the abdomen. Although A. gemmoides Chamberlin & Ivie, 1935 is among the largest spiders in Western Canada and the United States, it is a docile creature. If severely provoked, it may on occasion bite but the effects of the venom are similar to that of a mild wasp sting with associated itchiness and mild swelling lasting no more than a few days.

Family Common Name:  orbweavers
Genus Common Name:  angulate & roundshouldered orbweavers
Species Common Name:  western plains orbweaver

Global Distribution: USA, Canada
Nearctic States & Provinces: (from the Nearctic Spider Database)   AB BC MB SK CO MT NM ND UT WY
Collection Locales Mapped by Year Collected: (from the Nearctic Spider Database)

Specimen Search Specimen list 32, 247

Feeding Guild:^† orb weavers
^†Feeding guild when noted defined by Uetz, G. W., J. Halaj, and A. B. Cady. 1999. Guild structure of spiders in major crops. Journal of Arachnology 27:270-280. PDF
Recorded Habitats: Individuals have been collected on barns and other outbuildings, under rock ledges, and lodgepole pine forests. They are also known to frequent well-lit human habitations under eaves, fencerows, and similar nooks, and are especially visible late summer to early autumn.
Life & Natural History: (not yet recorded or unknown)

Seasonality of Specimen Records: (from the Nearctic Spider Database - Requires Flash plug-in - refresh this page if not visible)

Image(s) of Habitus:

Description: Carapace is pale brown. Legs are yellowish brown with indistinct annulations. Abdomen brownish, occasionally with indistinct paired oblique marks toward posterior end, and with distinct anterodorsal humps (Dondale et al., 2003).

Male Dimensions: A = 3.97 mm  A+B = 7.35 mm  C = 2.93 mm

Image of External Male Genitalia: email an image

Description: Coloration as in male (Dondale et al., 2003).

Female Dimensions: A = 6.29 mm  A+B = 14.89 mm  C = 5.21 mm

Image of Epigynum: email an image

Descriptions Source:
Dondale, C. D., J. H. Redner, P. Paquin & H. W. Levi. 2003. The insects and arachnids of Canada. Part 23. The orb-weaving spiders of Canada and Alaska (Araneae: Uloboridae, Tetragnathidae, Araneidae, Theridiosomatidae). NRC Research Press, Ottawa, 371 pp.

Araneus gemmoides Chamberlin & Ivie 1935 urn:lsid:ubio.org:namebank:2053149

Araneus canmorus Schenkel 1950 urn:lsid:ubio.org:namebank:2053150

Aranea gemmoides Levi 1951 urn:lsid:ubio.org:namebank:2053151

Araneus gemmoides Levi & Field 1954 urn:lsid:ubio.org:namebank:2053152

Araneus gemmoides Levi 1971 urn:lsid:ubio.org:namebank:9735266

Araneus gemmoides Levi 1975 urn:lsid:ubio.org:namebank:2053154

Araneus gemmoides Dondale et al. 2003 urn:lsid:ubio.org:namebank:2009603

Chamberlin, R. V. & W. Ivie. 1935. Miscellaneous new American spiders. Bull. Univ. Utah. 26(4): 1-79.

Dondale, C. D., J. H. Redner, P. Paquin & H. W. Levi. 2003. The insects and arachnids of Canada. Part 23. The orb-weaving spiders of Canada and Alaska (Araneae: Uloboridae, Tetragnathidae, Araneidae, Theridiosomatidae). NRC Research Press, Ottawa, 371 pp.

Levi, H. W. 1975. Additional notes on the orb-weaver genera Araneus, Hypsosinga and Singa north of Mexico (Araneae, Araneidae). Psyche, Camb. 82: 265-274.

Levi, H. W. 1971. The diadematus group of the orb-weaver genus Araneus north of Mexico (Araneae: Araneidae). Bull. Mus. comp. Zool. Harv. 141: 131-179.

Levi, H. W. 1951. New and rare spiders from Wisconsin and adjacent states. Am. Mus. Novit. 1501: 1-41.

Levi, H. W. & H. M. Field. 1954. The spiders of Wisconsin. Am. Midl. Nat. 51: 440-467.

Schenkel, E. 1950. Spinnentiere aus dem westlichen Nordamerika, gesammelt von Dr. Hans Schenkel-Rudin. Verh. naturf. Ges. Basel 61: 28-92.

^‡Nomenclature and taxonomic references from the World Spider Catalog

Dondale, C. D., J. H. Redner, P. Paquin & H. W. Levi. 2003. The insects and arachnids of Canada. Part 23. The orb-weaving spiders of Canada and Alaska (Araneae: Uloboridae, Tetragnathidae, Araneidae, Theridiosomatidae). NRC Research Press, Ottawa, 371 pp.

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