#four-spined jewel spider

Four-spined jewel spider (Gasteracantha quadrispinosa)

The four-spined jewel spider is a brightly coloured species of spider in the spiny orb-weaver genus Gasteracantha.It occurs in wet forests of Queensland, Australia, and New Guinea, where it builds vertical orb webs approximately 1.5 m across and hangs in the centre of the web to wait for prey. Female four-spined jewel spiders are distinctively shaped and coloured. Their abdomens are flat, oblong, and curved slightly forward, 5-6 mm wide, excluding spines. The corners of the abdomen are armed with short spines, the rear pair slightly longer than the pair in front. 

photo credits: Danny S.