Scinames:
Thelacantha brevispina
Thelacantha brevispina
Cook Islands Status Summary
Show Notes
Intl. NamesAsian Spinybacked SpiderEN Asian Spinyback SpiderEN Double‑spotted Spiny SpiderEN
Local NamesNk2RR,MG,AT,MK,MT,AK,PL,TNs,TNw,MH,RK,PK,NS
Pacific NamesNo Content
Sci. NamesThelacantha brevispina (accepted name)
, Gasteracantha brevispina, Gasteracantha mammosa, Plectana brevispina
High Tax. Eng.Invertebrate, Arthropod, Spider,
High Tax. Latink.ANIMALIA, p.ARTHROPODA, sp.CHELICERATA, c.ARACHNIDA, o.Araneae, so.Araneomorphae, f.ARANEIDAE
Natl. PresencePresent
Sth. PresenceRR?MG++AT?MK?MT?AK?PL?MN?TK?
Nth. PresenceTN?MH?RK?PK?NS?SW?
VouchersMG2006
Local OriginIntroduced; Recent; Naturalised
Global RangeNative: India - Sri Lanka; Introduced: se.Asia - Fiji - Cooks - Tuamotu, Hawai‘i; n. to Philippines; s. to Australia;
HabitatLand; Lowlands
ThreatenedNo Content
InvasivenessNo Content
BiosecurityNo Content
Medical StatusNo Content
Harmful StatusHarmful; injects venom
UsesNo Content
IdentificationLarge, nearly vertical orb-web decorates with whtie tufts of fine silk with female at centre; males have smaller webs nearby. FEMALE ABDOMEN to 10mmØ with 6 thick spines (2 each side, 2 at rear); polymorphic but typically black and yellow-brown with more...extensive white markings including two central white "eyes"; sometimes uniformly black. MALE smaller, to 5mmØ, without obvious spines. Eggs in green, flattened egg-sacs near the web.
Similar SpeciesSpinybacked Orbweaver (Gasteracantha cancriformis, in Hawai‘i but NOT KNOWN in the Cooks) is white with black spots and red spines.
Interest NoteNo Content
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Vernacular Names
Citation Information
McCormack, Gerald (2024) Cook Islands Biodiversity & Ethnobiology Database, Version 2024.11.27 - Cook Islands Natural Heritage Trust, Rarotonga. Online at https://naturalheritage.gov.ck/cibed
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