Spider: Argiope Lobata, Pomarico (MT) ITALY

ARGIOPE LOBATA

 Argiope Lobata are located around the Mediterranean and is a very common species in the Iberian Peninsula and is frequently found in zones of high grass, as well as in little dense matos, in which it constructs its web. Argiope lobata is a spider of showy aspect. 

The females reach 18-22 mm (length of the body without appendices), the males reach only 6-8 mm. Females have a visibly flattened back-ventral, with three or four pairs of lateral wolves (a characteristic which gives it the name "lobata") and a posterior terminal prominence; the coloration is changeable, and even so it can present transversal lists alternating black and yellow, most commonly it is almost total silver plated. Its carapace completely is covered of small gray-silver-plated coats and the leg are long and of black colour, with changeable intensity, consistent with the phase of development of the animal. 

The ventral face is sprinkled with black colour, and chestnut to dark yellow. They present similar legs and carapace to the female, but without visible wolves in abdomen; it is small, and totally silver plated in the dorsal face. The web is orbicular, slightly inclined and with a stablimentum typically in a zigzag form, varying between individuals. The spider sits in the centre, with legs grouped two and two...

                                                       Pictures by SPERA GERARDO - POMARICO (ITALY)