Argiope aurocincta
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Shield Garden Orb-Web Spider | |
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Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Araneomorphae |
| Family: | Araneidae |
| Genus: | Argiope |
| Species: | A. aurocincta |
| Binomial name | |
| Argiope aurocincta Pocock, 1898[1] | |
Argiope aurocincta is a species of spider in the family Araneidae.[2] It is endemic to Africa and is commonly known as the shield garden orb-web spider.[3]
Argiope aurocincta has been collected from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Tanzania, and South Africa. In South Africa, the species is known from six provinces at elevations ranging from 29 to 1,513 m above sea level.[3]
Habitat and ecology
The species constructs orb webs in open grassland areas, woodlands and gardens. The webs are usually placed low in shrubby vegetation, with the spider hanging at the hub head-down throughout the day, usually with an X-shaped stabilimentum. The species inhabits multiple biomes including Forest, Grassland, Indian Ocean Coastal Belt, Nama Karoo and Savanna.[3]
