Araneus gemma

Araneus gemma, commonly known as the Cat-faced Spider (a name shared with Araneus gemmoides), is a common outdoor orb-weaver spider found in the western United States and Canada.

Like most Araneus species, A. gemma poses no danger to humans. It produces a venom containing argiotoxin, a low molecular weight toxin that inhibits the effects of the neurotransmitter glutamate. Dopamine was also identified in the venom of A. gemma in a concentration of 4.3 nM.

The web silk of the A. gemma ranges from 1 to 4 μm in diameter.