National Museum of Natural Science

The Asian spinybacked orbweaver (Thelacantha brevispina) is in the family Araneidae. For a long time it was placed in the genus Gasteracantha and its common name in Chinese still retains the phrase “spiny spider.” Currently, there is only this species in the genus Thelacantha. It is mainly distributed in East Asia and Oceania. In Taiwan, it is easily found among shrubs at low to medium elevations in Taiwan. Its most distinctive features are a hard carapace with circular indentations over the abdomen and a pair of papillary spines at the posterior end of the abdomen.

The Asian spinybacked orbweaver is around 0.8 cm long and captures its prey using an orb-like web.

Asian spinybacked orbweaver (adult female)