Cyrtophora

Simon, 1895

tent-web spiders, tentweb weavers

Cyrtophora is a of tent-web in the Araneidae. Despite being classified as -weavers, these spiders construct horizontal, tent-like non-sticky webs rather than traditional orb webs. Many exhibit colonial , with multiple individuals sharing extensive web structures. The genus is distributed across tropical and subtropical regions worldwide, with some species to new areas. Females typically reach about 10 mm in body length.

Cyrtophora citricola by no rights reserved, uploaded by 0959kedi. Used under a CC0 license.

Cyrtophora citricola by no rights reserved, uploaded by Anna C. Used under a CC0 license.

Tropical tent-web spider (Cyrtophora citricola) by RudiSteenkamp. Used under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Cyrtophora: //sɜːrˈtɒfərə//

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Identification

Distinguished from other Araneidae by their non-sticky, horizontal tent webs rather than vertical webs. Can be separated from the unrelated Cyrtarachne (also called tent-web ) by morphological characters and web architecture details. Colonial web are a strong indicator, though not all are colonial.

Images

Appearance

Females have a body length of approximately 10 mm. Some , including Cyrtophora cicatrosa, exhibit rapid color-changing ability. The shows considerable morphological diversity across its 44+ species.

Habitat

Vegetation-dependent; highest occur in dense shrubs and -height bushes that provide stable attachment points and favorable microclimates. Occupies tropical and subtropical environments including semi-managed gardens, dry deciduous forests, and agricultural settings such as citrus groves. Web placement is influenced by vegetation structural complexity and microclimatic conditions.

Distribution

Pantropical distribution with ranges in Africa, Asia, Australia, and the Pacific Islands. Cyrtophora citricola has expanded to the Caribbean (Puerto Rico, Cuba, Haiti), Florida (USA), and Colombia. Cyrtophora moluccensis has been documented in Chhattisgarh State, India. The includes 44 and three as of October 2025.

Diet

Cyrtophora citricola captures small to -sized including , , , , small , small , and mosquitoes. Specific for other is not well documented.

Life Cycle

sacs are produced by females; colonies show cyclical patterns of growth and decline with seasonal variation. and large females co-occur in colonies. Small colonies higher extinction risk but can achieve high growth rates if they survive.

Behavior

Many are colonial, with multiple sharing interconnected web structures where offspring territories are built along the margins of maternal webs. Some species are considered social spiders, building large communal structures. Colony dynamics show Allee effects, with peaking at intermediate group sizes. Variance in reproductive output increases in larger colonies, suggesting intensified competition.

Ecological Role

of pests in agricultural systems; Cyrtophora citricola has been evaluated for of , a of . Webs intercept flying and crawling , contributing to local arthropod .

Human Relevance

Potential agent in programs, particularly for citrus agriculture. Some may impact plants through web , though whether damage is caused directly by or indirectly by web presence remains unclear. has been studied for its biophysical properties, showing improved crystal quality under wet conditions.

Similar Taxa

CyrtarachneAlso called tent-web and constructs similar web , but belongs to different ; distinguished by morphological characters and detailed web architecture differences
NephilaLarge -weaver that produces dragline with different crystalline properties; builds vertical orb webs rather than horizontal tent webs
ArgyrodesKleptoparasitic found living mutualistically within Cyrtophora webs; distinguished by its parasitic lifestyle and smaller size

More Details

Silk biophysics

Cyrtophora dragline contains two of crystallites: highly oriented crystallites with c-axis along silk direction, and randomly distributed crystallites. Water exposure sharpens diffraction peaks of randomly distributed crystallites, indicating improved crystal ordering— distinct from Nephila pilipes, where water causes super-contraction and scattering.

Hyperparasitoid associations

The eulophid Tachinobia repanda has been recorded as a gregarious from sacs of Cyrtophora moluccensis in Papua New Guinea, likely parasitizing that parasitize the egg sacs.

Taxonomic history

First described by Eugène Simon in 1895. Five recorded from Africa, though none formally from South Africa until recent studies. Some historical misidentifications have occurred, such as confusion between Cyrtophora moluccensis and Cyrtarachne inaequalis in India.