Araneus gemma

Araneus gemma, commonly known as the cat-faced spider (a name shared with Araneus gemmoides), is a common outdoor orb-weaver spider found in the western United States and Canada.

Cat-faced orb-weaver
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Arachnida
Order:
Araneae
Suborder:
Araneomorphae
Family:
Araneidae
Genus:
Araneus
Species:
A. gemma
Binomial name
Araneus gemma
McCook, 1888
Synonyms

Epeira gemma
Araneus pirus
Araneus gemmus

Like most Araneus species, A. gemma is harmless to humans. It contains a venomous toxin of low molecular weight called argiotoxin,[1] that antagonizes the actions of the neurotransmitter glutamate.[2] Dopamine was also identified in the venom of A. gemma in a concentration of 4.3 nM.[3]

The web silk of the A. gemma ranges from 1 to 4 μm in diameter.[4]

References
  1. K F Tipton (ed). Neurotoxins in Neurobiology Taylor & Francis, 1994; page 7. ISBN 013614991X
  2. Geoffrey A. Cordell. Chemistry and Pharmacology (Google eBook). Academic Press, Jul 27, 1995; page 69. ISBN 0124695469.
  3. Spider Physiology and Behaviour: Physiology Academic Press, Nov 26, 2011; page 23. ISBN 0123876680
  4. David Kaplan, Kevin McGrath. Protein-Based Materials Springer, 1997; page 113. ISBN 0817638482.


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