Black-spotted Orbweaver
Araneus miniatus
This record describes Araneus miniatus (species). Recorded family: Araneidae. Recorded order: Araneae.
Identification and Appearance
Araneus miniatus is a species of orb weaver in the family of spiders known as Araneidae. It is found in the United States.
Identification notes
Palp
Wikipedia reference for Araneus miniatus: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Araneus miniatus.
Classification
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Massachusetts south to Florida and west through Tennessee to Texas
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Araneus miniatus (Walckenaer)
About Spiders: the wider group
Order-level background for Araneae, the group containing Araneus miniatus. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
As of 2023, 51,673 spider species in 136 families have been recorded, though an estimated 150,000 species exist. Spiders rank 7th in total species diversity among all organism orders. Only 0.5% of spider species pose any risk to human health.
Ecological role of the group
Spider venom contains complex peptides with diverse pharmacological activities, making them valuable for drug development research. Spiders produce up to 7 types of silk from specialized glands. Spider silk genes have been inserted into mammals and plants for biotech applications.
Economic and practical significance of the group
The global spider community kills an estimated 400-800 million tons of prey annually (2017 study). Spiders provide billions of dollars in natural pest control for agriculture. Spider silk is 5× stronger than steel of the same diameter, driving a biomaterials research industry.
Recorded sources for this group: World Spider Catalog, PNAS, Nature, ScienceDirect. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of Black-spotted Orbweaver (4)
Photo credits: (c) skitterbug, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by skitterbug | (c) Bodor family, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Bodor family | (c) Justin Williams, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Justin Williams | Contributed by Jeff Hollenbeck; Additional contributions by cheins , Mike Quinn , JohnMaxwell22
Frequently Asked Questions About Black-spotted Orbweaver
What is Black-spotted Orbweaver?
Black-spotted Orbweaver (Araneus miniatus) is a species in the family Araneidae, within the order Araneae.
How do you identify Black-spotted Orbweaver?
Palp
Where is Black-spotted Orbweaver found?
Range: Massachusetts south to Florida and west through Tennessee to Texas