Grassland-spider
Guides
Acanthepeira
Star-bellied Orb-web Spiders, Starbellied Orbweavers
Acanthepeira is a genus of orb-weaver spiders in the family Araneidae, first described by George Marx in 1883. The genus comprises five North American species, most notably Acanthepeira stellata, known for its distinctive star-shaped abdominal tubercles. These spiders are recognized for their unusual spiked abdomens that function as camouflage against predators. The genus ranges from southeastern Canada through the eastern and central United States to southern California.
Tibellus chamberlini
Chamberlin's Slender Crab Spider
Tibellus chamberlini is a species of running crab spider in the family Philodromidae, first described by Gertsch in 1933. It belongs to a genus of slender, elongate spiders adapted for ambush hunting on grasses and foliage. The species is distributed across the United States and Canada, though specific details of its biology remain poorly documented compared to better-known congeners.