Two-spotted Cobweb Spider
Asagena americana
This record describes Asagena americana (species). Recorded family: Theridiidae. Recorded order: Araneae.
Identification and Appearance
Asagena americana, the twospotted cobweb spider, is a species of cobweb spider in the family Theridiidae. It is found in the United States, Canada, and China.
Identification notes
Female Male Egg sac:
Wikipedia reference for Asagena americana: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asagena americana.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Arachnida
- Order
- Araneae (Spiders)
- Family
- Theridiidae (Cobweb Spiders)
- Genus
- Asagena
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Found from southern Canada to Mexico.
About Spiders: the wider group
Order-level background for Araneae, the group containing Asagena americana. 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 Two-spotted Cobweb Spider (3)
Photo credits: no rights reserved, uploaded by Mirko Schoenitz | (c) Michael Skvarla, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), uploaded by Michael Skvarla | (c) Bill Keim, some rights reserved (CC BY) | Contributed by Jeff Hollenbeck; Additional contributions by Lynette Elliott , kschnei , Laura P.
Frequently Asked Questions About Two-spotted Cobweb Spider
What is Two-spotted Cobweb Spider?
Two-spotted Cobweb Spider (Asagena americana) is a species in the family Theridiidae, within the order Araneae.
How do you identify Two-spotted Cobweb Spider?
Female Male Egg sac:
Where is Two-spotted Cobweb Spider found?
Range: Found from southern Canada to Mexico.