Ninja-Star Spider
Zosis geniculata
This record describes Zosis geniculata (species). Recorded family: Uloboridae. Recorded order: Araneae.
Identification and Appearance
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Arachnida
- Order
- Araneae (Spiders)
- Family
- Uloboridae (Cribellate Orb Weavers)
- Genus
- Zosis
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Seems to favor shady, sheltered locations, originally probably dense forests. Now mostly found in and around barns, warehouses, and other buildings, especially in introduced range.
Geographic Range
Native to the American tropics, possibly including Florida. iNat observations indicate recent spread around the Gulf of Mexico, with northward strays (almost certainly human-assisted) in North Carolina and Kansas. Now apparently established on every continent except Antarctica.
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: (Olivier, 1789) Common name inspired by its distinctively shaped egg sac
About Spiders: the wider group
Order-level background for Araneae, the group containing Zosis geniculata. 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 Ninja-Star Spider (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Jeff Hollenbeck; Additional contributions by cheins , Joshua Stuart Rose