Here is just a sampling of some of the unique species found around the world. The genus name Gasteracantha derives from the Greek words "gaster," meaning "belly," and "acantha," meaning "thorn." ...

The stunning arachnid was photographed at night in La Maná, Ecuador. Spiny-backed orb weavers, like the Gasteracantha cancriformis shown here, come in a variety of colorations and can be found ...

Observations and experiments on the common, citrus grove-inhabiting, spiny-bellied orb-weaver, Gasteracantha cancriformis (L.), have demonstrated that the spider completes a life cycle in 1 year, ...