Rank Species | Scientific name Argiope appensa Higher classification Argiope Order Spider | |
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Similar Argiope, Orb‑weaver spider, Arachnid, Argiope aetherea, Argiope picta | ||
Argiope appensa
Argiope appensa is a spider that occurs on several islands in the western Pacific Ocean. It has been introduced to Hawaii, and is found from Taiwan to New Guinea. It inhabits a wide variety of habitats, from coasts to forests.
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Description
The strikingly black and yellow females are 5.1–6.4 cm (2–2.5 in) long, including legs, while the brown males reach only about 1.9 cm (0.75 in).
In Hawaii they are referred to as Hawaiian garden spiders. In Hawaii, they are known to be quite communal (see picture), with multi-generational specimens living within close quarters, using the same anchor lines for separate webs.
On Guam, where Argipoe appensa is ubiquitous, it is frequently visited by Argyrodes argentatus. Locals there refer to them as banana spiders. Following the introduction of the brown tree snake and the subsequent extinction or near-extinction of many of the island's small birds, spider populations on Guam exploded in response to decreasing predation and competition. Nature writer David Quammen has called Argiope appensa "almost certainly one of the larger species" which were encountered in vast numbers during his research trip to Guam for the book The Song of the Dodo.
