St Andrews Cross Spider Argiope keyserlingi Karsch, 1878
Fauna Portal species: 6627
Argiope keyserlingi female, dorsal (Sydney, New South Wales)
Image: V.W. Framenau (2007)
Fauna Portal Image No. 4069Diagnosis
(after Levi 1983): The female of Argiope keyserlingi differs from other species, particularly A. aetherea, by the epigynum having a flat flange on the rim, with a lobe on each side posteriorly (in ventral view). In posterior view the epigynum shows the wide, flat flange and a nearly circular opening quite far dorsally. The abdomen is more rounded than the pentagonal of of A. aetherea. The male differs from A. aetherea by the much smaller embolus: the base of the embolus has a prong with parallel sides; the tip has a neck and a distal expansion. The median apophysis has the spur originating from near its bend.
Status
- native
Linnean Holotype
Australia
- New South Wales
- Norfolk and Lord Howe Islands
- Queensland
Fauna Portal Records
The map shows all records that have been verified as part of the Fauna Portal project and may not represent the true distribution of a species. Specifically, for described species, check the link to the Atlas of Living Australia on this page for potential wider distributions. Fauna Portal Reference specimens and Linnean types are shown in red. If you identified a specimen that exceeds the distribution of an undescribed species as illustrated here, please contact the Fauna Portal team who can assist with the lodgement of the specimen in a public institution and display on the map.
Publications
(1983): The orb-weaver genera Argiope, Gea, and Neogea from the western Pacific region (Araneae: Araneidae, Argiopinae).. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology. 150: 247 - 338