Araneidae

views updated

Araneidae (orb-web spiders; order Araneae, suborder Araneomorphae) Family of spiders which spin typical orb webs and whose legs are armed with many long spines. The chelicerae possess many teeth, and many species of orb spinners have dwarf males. There are more than 2500 species, of which Araneus is the largest genus. Araneus diadematus is the garden-cross spider or garden spider.