Araneidae
Araneidae, orb-weaver spiders, are the largest group of orb-web-building spiders. The Araneidae family currently has 3,152 species and is the third largest family of spiders after Salticidae (Jumping spiders) and Linyphiidae (Sheet weaver spiders). [1]
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
|---|---|
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infrarder: | Aranemorphae |
| Family: | Araneidae |
Description
Orb-weaver spiders are often identified by their brightly colored / patterned bodies. Araneidae have rounded abdomens that are used for storing food and producing silks. They also have characteristically elongated legs that aid in maneuvering across their webs. Near the bottom of the orb-weaver's abdomen, there are spinnerets present. Spinnerets are specialized organs that produce the silk threads for web constructions. Orb-weavers typically have three pairs of spinnerets, each having a specific job in the creation of the orb-weaver’s intricate webs. Orb-weavers vary greatly in size; large species of Orb-weavers can average 1-5 inches in size, while smaller species of Orb-weavers can average 1-8 centimeters in size.
Webbing Habits
References
[1] Bern, Museum. “NMBE - World Spider Catalog.” Nmbe.ch, 2025, wsc.nmbe.ch/statistics/. Accessed 30 Apr. 2025.
[2] [3] [4]