Argiope aetherea
{{Short description|Species of spider}}
{{Speciesbox
|image = Argiope aetherea dorsal 1134.jpg
|taxon = Argiope aetherea
|authority = (Walckenaer, 1841)
|synonyms =
{{Specieslist
|Epeira aetherea|Walckenaer, 1841
|Argiope regalis|L. Koch, 1871
|Argiope variabilis|Bradley, 1876
|Argiope lunata|Bradley, 1876
|Argiope brownii|O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1877
|Argiope verecunda|Thorell, 1878
|Argiope aetherea|(Walckenaer, 1841)
|Argiope friedericii|Strand, 1911
|Argiope wolfi|Strand, 1911
|Argiope maerens|Kulczyński, 1911
|Argiope udjirica|Strand, 1911
|Argiope wogeonicola|Strand, 1913
|Gea rotunda|Hogg, 1915
|Argiope novae-pommeraniae|Strand, 1915
}}
}}
Argiope aetherea is a common, large orb-web spider (family Araneidae). Like other species of Argiope, it is commonly known as the St Andrew's Cross spider, due to the characteristic cross-shaped web decorations female spiders often include in their webs. A. aetherea is similar in appearance to A. keyserlingi, however female A. aetherea are generally larger than A. keyserlingi.{{cite web |url= http://www.arachne.org.au/_dbase_upl/the_orbweavers_argiope_levi.pdf|title= The Orb-Weaver Genera Argiope, Gea, and Neogea from the Western Pacific Region (Araneae: Araneidae, Argiopinae)|author=Levi H. W.|date=1983|website= MUSEUM OF COMPARATIVE ZOOLOGY|publisher=Harvard University |access-date=2017-11-26}} Like most orb-web spiders, A. aetherea shows considerable sexual size dimorphism, with females being many times larger than males.
Distribution
Subspecies
There exists a subspecies from New Guinea:
- Argiope aetherea annulipes Thorell, 1881
Gallery
Argiope aetherea 5055.jpg|Argiope aetherea with cross shaped web decoration
Argiope aetherea ventral 2430.jpg|Argiope aetherea (female, ventral)
Argiope aetherea 7582.jpg| Female, dorsal
Argiope aetherea 7580.jpg| Same spider, ventral
A Spider found in Assam.jpg| Argiope aetherea
References
{{Commons}}
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{{Taxonbar|from=Q1304508}}
Category:Spiders described in 1841
{{Araneidae-stub}}