Araniella opisthographa
This record describes Araniella opisthographa (species). Recorded family: Araneidae. Recorded order: Araneae.
Identification and Appearance
Araniella cucurbitina - Conspicuous red spot above spinnerets, visible only from below. Male femur I with ventral median part lacking bristles (regularly 3 bristles basally, 1 bristle distally). Females difficult to identify as this species with certainty. Hybrids with Araniella opisthographa may occur. c.f. Araniella opisthographa - Male femur I with with 7, rarely 8 bristles distributed on whole length. Females difficult to identify as this species with certainty. Hybrids with Araniella cucurbitina may occur. Confirmation of this species: Requires examination at high magnification in good lighting, typically examination of the genitalia. Bee, L., Oxford, G., & Smith, H. (2020). Britain's Spiders: A Field Guide. Second Edition. Princeton University Press. The spider is found in a wide variety of situations, but most commonly on trees (particularly oaks) and bushes in woodland, scrub and hedgerows, as well as on nearby low vegetation. It occurs in similar habitats to A. cucurbitina, with which it is often, but not always, found. The species is widespread in much of southern England from Yorkshire southwards, but it is much more scattered in the west and north as far as central Scotland. It is more sparsely distributed in Wales, Scotland and south-west England than A. curcurbitina. 2,121 British records for this species to 2015.
Classification
Habitat and Range
Habitat
The spider is found in a wide variety of situations, but most commonly on trees (particularly oaks) and bushes in woodland, scrub and hedgerows, as well as on nearby low vegetation. It occurs in similar habitats to A. cucurbitina, with which it is often, but not always, found.
Additional species information
Recorded status
The species is widespread in much of southern England from Yorkshire southwards, but it is much more scattered in the west and north as far as central Scotland. It is more sparsely distributed in Wales, Scotland and south-west England than A. curcurbitina.
About Spiders: the wider group
Order-level background for Araneae, the group containing Araniella opisthographa. 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.
