Gasteracantha (known as spiny-backed orb-weavers, spiny orb-weavers, or spiny spiders) is a genus of orb-weaver spiders first named by Carl Jakob Sundevall in 1833. The females of most species are brightly colored with six prominent spines on their broad, hardened, shell-like abdomens. It's easy to identify this spider, even from a distance because of its web.
Spiny-Backed Orb Weaver
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A spiny orb weaver on its web
NC Wetlands [CC BY 2.0] via Flickr
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A spiny orb weaver on its web
NC Wetlands [CC BY 2.0] via Flickr
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A spiny orb weaver
David Cappaert, Bugwood.org
4 of
A spiny orb weaver
David Cappaert, Bugwood.org
