Cyclosa insulana (Costa, 1834)

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Description of Cyclosa insulana (Brown lobed spider)

Physical Characteristics

Female 6.5 to 7 mm.
with four protrusions at the back, from which the middle one is the longest. Colour black-brown with a variable pattern of yellow to red and silver spots. Young animals almost completely silver.
Carapace black-brown.
Legs and palps clearly light-dark annulated.

Male ca 5 mm.
Markings and colours almost identical to the female.

Habitat

Dry, warm areas with shrubs and little vegetation.

Distribution

Occurs in the Mediterranean area.

Periode

The portrayed specimens have been found in June. No further information about the period is known.

Notable

The spider sits, in contrast to the other European Orb weavers, with its head up in the web. The authors have also observed a transverse position of the species.