Argiope Writing Spider ♀ (Argiope catenulata)

Photo by AgnesAdiqueTalavera

Published on Project Noah

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14.33, 121.09

Field Notes

Description:

Argiope catenulata (Doleschall, 1859). The genus Argiope Audouin, 1827, includes rather large and spectacular spiders that often have a strikingly colored abdomen. In the Philippines, it is known as gagambang ekis, which translates to X spider. Some regions call them gagambang pari, which translates to priest spider.

Habitat:

Backyard.

Notes:

Reference:
http://www.treknature.com/gallery/Asia/India/North/Uttar_Pradesh/Noida/…
http://www.senckenberg.de/files/content/forschung/abteilung/terrzool/ar…

The genus Argiope is distributed worldwide with currently 85 valid species with a centre of its diversity in Southeast Asia including New Guinea and adjacent islands (44 spp.). From other regions distinctly fewer species are known: Australia: 15 spp., Africa: 11 spp., Americas: 8 spp., Europe: 3 spp. (synonyms of A. bruennichi and A. lobata), Central Asia 1 sp. Three further species have exceptionally large distribution ranges: A. trifasciata (Cosmopolitan), A. bruennichi (Palaearctic), and A. lobata (Old World)
(Platnick 2011).

Philippine species:
1) Argiope catenulata Doleschall, 1859 - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argiope_catenulata; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Grass_cross_spider_(Argiope_catenulat…

2) Argiope appensa (Walckenaer, 1842) - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argiope_appensa; http://www.tikboy.com/posts/argiope-appensa/

3) Argiope manila Levi 1983 from Luzon

4) Argiope aemula (Walckenaer 1841) from Luzon - http://wongchunxing.com/Spider/AraneidaeSpiders/Argiope_aemula.htm

5) Argiope luzona (Walckenaer 1841) from Luzon