Scinames:
Cook Islands Status Summary
Show Notes
Intl. NamesAsian Spinybacked SpiderEN Asian Spinyback SpiderEN Double‑spotted Spiny SpiderEN
Local NamesNo Content
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, c.ARACHNIDA, o.Araneae, f.ARANEIDAE
High Tax. Ext.k.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.
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Vernacular Names
Citation Information
McCormack, Gerald (2009-2017) Cook Islands Biodiversity & Ethnobiology Database, Version 2017.1. Cook Islands Natural Heritage Trust, Rarotonga. Online at http://cookislands.pacificbiodiversity.net
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