Orb-web Spiders

Family Araneidae

This is a family in the superfamily Araneoidea. They are called orb-web spiders as they spin the spiral web that we are so familiar with. The family contains species such as St Andrew's Cross Spiders and Spiny Spiders, as well as the Golden Web Spiders (subfamily Nephilinae).

1. Scarlet Acusilas Acusilas coccineus
2. Flat Anepsion Anepsion depressium
3. Scorpion Spider Arachnura sp
4. Araneus anaspastus
5. Araneus inustus
6. Kidney Garden Spider Araneus mitificus
7. Araneus noegeatus
8. Oval St Andrew's Cross Spider Argiope aemula
9. Yellow-Silver St Andrew's Cross Spider Argiope catenulata
10. Dang's Cross Spider Argiope dang
11. Mangrove St Andrew's Cross Spider Argiope mangal
12. Multi-coloured St Andrew's Cross Spider Argiope versicolor
13. Caerostris sumatrana
14. Long-bellied Cyclosa Cyclosa bifida
15. Cyclosa centrodes
16. Cyclosa confraga
17. Island Cyclosa Cyclosa insulana
18. Cyclosa micula
19. Cyclosa mulmeinensis
20. Cyclosa nigra
21. Cyclosa pellaxoides
22. Cyrtarachne conica
23. Beccari's Tent Spider Cyrtophora beccarii
24. Cyrtophora cicatrosa
25. Cyrtophora citricola
26. Cyrtophora cylindroides
27. Cyrtophora eczematica
28. Double-tailed Tent Spider Cyrtophora exanthematica
29. Cyrtophora moluccensis
30. Red Tent Spider Cyrtophora unicolor
31. Laglaise's Garden Spider Eriovixia laglaisei
32. Curved Spiny Spider Gasteracantha arcuata
33. Gasteracantha diardi
34. Doria's Spiny Spider Gasteracantha doriae
35. Hasselt's Spiny Spider Gasteracantha hasseltii
36. Black-and-white Spiny Spider Gasteracantha kuhlii
37. Gasteracantha mengei
38. Gasteracantha picta
39. Gea spinipes
40. Gea subarmata
41. Heurodes porculus
42. Heurodes turritus
43. Milonia albula
44. Milonia obtusa
45. Neogea egregia
46. Neogea nocticolor
47. Neoscona bengalensis
48. Brown Sailor Spider Neoscona nautica
49. Neoscona punctigera
50. Brown-legged Spider Neoscona rufofemorata
51. Ordgarius sexspinosus
52. Common Garden Spider Parawixia dehaani
53. Poltys apiculatus
54. Tree-stump Spider Poltys illepidus
55. Singa perpolita
56. Double-spotted Spiny Spider Thelacantha brevispina
57. Capped Black-headed Spider Zygiella calyptrata
58. Zygiella nadleri

Tent Spider (Cyrtophora sp.)

These spiders are so called because they build tent-like webs.

Cyrtophora sp. at Turut Track ©Steven Chong

St Andrew's Cross Spider (Argiope sp.)

These spiders are so called because they form a cross when at rest in their web.

Argiope versicolor at Chestnut Trail ©Eddy Lee

Laglaise's Garden Spider (Eriovixia laglaisei)

This is a common garden spider. The female has a much larger pentagonal abdomen compared to the thorax. The male on the other hand has the thorax slightly larger than the pentagonal abdomen.

Male at Chestnut Trail ©Eddy Lee

Spiny Spider (Gasteracantha sp.)

Spiny spiders are so called for the spikes on their back. The female Hasselt's Spiny Spider is a distinctive spider with black spots and spikes on a yellow back; a black head; and red/orange legs with black bands.

Gasteracantha sp. ©Eddy Lee

Female at Chestnut Trail. Mating pair with food and opportunistic flies ©Eddy Lee

Common Garden Spider Parawixia dehaani

Also known as Abandoned-web Orb-weaver. Interestingly, Parawixia is a New World genus with only one species known in the Old World.

Rifle Range ©Eddy Lee

Golden Web Spiders

Subfamily Nephilinae

This is a subfamily in Family Araneidae¹.

It contains the familiar Golden Web Spiders (Nephila sp.), the females of which are some of the largest spiders in Singapore. There are two Nephila species in Singapore - Golden Web Spider (N. pilipes) and Black Wood Spider (N. kuhlii), as well as the Batik Golden Web Spider (Trichonephila antipodiana) which was previously placed in Nephila. Golden Web Spiders are also known as Golden Orb-web Spiders, Golden Silk Spider, etc. The word 'golden' comes from the perceived colour of the large web they spin. They are common in forested areas, as well as in parks and gardens. Argyrodes spiders live kleptoparasitically with the Golden Web Spiders and can be distinguished from the small Nephila male by the triangular abdomen.

The subfamily also contains two other species in Singapore - Ornamental Tree-trunk Spider and Malabar Spider.

1. Ornamental Tree-trunk Spider Herennia ornatissima
2. Batik Golden Web Spider Trichonephila antipodiana
3. Black Wood Spider Nephila kuhlii
4. Golden Web Spider Nephila pilipes
5. Malabar Spider Nephilengys malabarensis

Golden Web Spider (Nephila pilipes)

This is a large spider more than 3 cm in body length. It was also known as N. maculata. The male, however, is much smaller and is red in colour.

Turut Track ©Steven Chong. Pasir Ris Park ©Melvin Dionio

Mandai ©Tan KH

Admiralty Park ©Tan KH

Sungei Buloh ©Sylvia Chua

Black Wood Spider (Nephila kuhlii)

This is a large spider more than 3 cm in body length. The male, however, is much smaller and is red in colour.

Mandai. Pulau Ubin ©Tan KH

Pasir Ris Park ©Tan KH

Batik Golden Web Spider (Trichonephila antipodiana)

This is a large spider about 3 cm in body length. It is smaller than the typical Golden Web Spider. It is named for the batik pattern on its abdomen and it is recognisable by the rows of yellow spots on its abdomen. The male, however, is much smaller and is red in colour.

Female with its tiny mate and her molted exoskeleton. The red triangular spider is Argyrodes flavescens. Botanic Gardens ©Tan KH

Big female with small red male and lots of food at Pasir Ris Park ©Tan KH

Malabar Spider (Nephilengys malabarensis)²

Also called Asian Hermit Spider probably because the abdomen of the female looks like a hermit crab shell. The male is much smaller and reddish in colour.

Female at Central Catchment Area ©Eddy Lee

Reference

1. Family: Araneidae Clerck, 1757
2. Nephilengys malabarensis - Malabar Spider

Big-jawed Spiders

Family Tetragnathidae

This is a family in the superfamily Araneoidea.

One genus in this family is the Leucauges (Leucauge sp.), which is characterised by an abdomen that protrudes above the head and long front legs. The webs are typically horizontal or angled, hardly vertical. The spider hangs upside down on the web.

1. Silver Leucauge Leucauge argentina
2. Leucauge celebesiana
3. Decorative Leucauge Leucauge decorata
4. Leucauge fastigata
5. Leucauge fibulata
6. Leucauge grata
7. Mesida gemmea
8. Tetragnatha chauliodus
9. Tetragnatha hirashimai
10. Mangrove Big-jawed Spider Tetragnatha josephi
11. Common Big-jawed Spider Tetragnatha mandibulata
12. Tetragnatha maxillosa
13. Tetragnatha serra
14. Striated Tylorida Tylorida striata
15. Big-bellied Tylorida Tylorida ventralis

Decorative Leucauge at Chestnut Area ©Eddy Lee

Common Big-jawed Spider with eggs of the introduced Golden Apple Snail (Pomacea canaliculata) at Springleaf ©Tan KH

Mating Striated Tylorida at Dairy Farm ©Eddy Lee

Comb-footed Spiders

Family Theridiidae

This is a family of spiders in the superfamily Araneoidea. One of the genus in this family is Argyrodes (Dewdrop Spiders). Most Argyrodes spiders live kleptoparasitically in the web of other spiders. They are called kleptoparasites because they feed on the host's food. They are small in size (usually several mm). The Red Silver Spider (Argyrodes flavescens) is most commonly encountered as they live in the web of Golden Web Spiders and can be identified by the triangular abdomen with silvery spots.

1. Rolled-leaf Comb-footed Spider Achaearanea mundulum
2. Achaearanea triangula
3. Anelosimus kohi
4. Silver Comb-footed Spider Argyrodes argentatus
5. Argyrodes fasciatus
6. Split-faced Silver Spider Argyrodes fissifrons
7. Whip Spider Argyrodes flagellum
8. Red Silver Spider Argyrodes flavescens
9. Argyrodes miniaceus
10. Argyrodes xiphias
11. Golden Comb-footed Spider Chrysso sp.
12. Coleosoma blandum
13. Dipoena martinae
14. Episinus mucronatus
15. Episinus pictus
16. Episinus rhomboidalis
17. Molione triacantha
18. Moneta mirabilis
19. Theridion aureomaculatum
20. Theridion aureum
21. Theridion deltaforme
22. Theridion labeculosum
23. Theridion inquinatum
24. Theridion pinastri
25. Theridion t-notatum
26. Theridion tubicola
27. Theridion weberi

Argyrodes sp. at Dairy Farm ©Steven Chong

Red Silver Spider (Argyrodes flavescens) at Central Catchment ©Eddy Lee

Female Batik Golden Web Spider (Nephila antipodiana) with its tiny mate and large Nephila meal. The red triangular spider on the outer edge of the web is Argyrodes flavescens. Botanic Gardens ©Tan KH

Araneoids

Superfamily Araneoidea

Comb-footed Spiders (Family Theridiidae)

Ray Spiders (Family Theridiosomatidae)

Theridiosoma fasciatum

Dwarf Spiders (Famiy Linyphiidae)

Batueta voluta
Ceratinopsis blesti
Johorea decorata
Linyphia rugosa
Nasoona chrysanthusi
Neriene sinensis
Pseudomicrocentria simplex

Big-jawed Spiders (Family Tetragnathidae)

Orb-web Spiders (Family Araneidae)

Golden Web Spiders (Subfamily Nephilinae)