Arachnids of North Carolina
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View Araneidae Members: NC Records

Mangora gibberosa - Lined orbweaver



Darker individual

Typical coloration
Taxonomy
Order: ARANEAEInfraorder: AraneomorphaeFamily: Araneidae                                                                                 
Comments: Placed in the genus Mangora since 1895, with a brief description as Abbotiana by Strand in 1929—which was considered a "superfluous generic replacement name.
Species Comment: Latin: from gibber- "hunchbacked, hump-backed" + -osus, a suffix meaning "extremely, full of"
Identification
Online Description/Photos: The prosoma is pale yellow to yellow green, with a dark median stripe and often darker shading in the submarginal area. The opisthosoma has a white background, with yellow- to brown-shaded stripes on the lateral edges. A series of black dots often connect to make three lines longitudinally down the posterior, the midline reaching the farthest anteriorly. The ventral opisthosoma has two yellow spots just posterior of the epigastric furrow; a black area is between the epigastric furrow and the spinnerets. The spinnerets are usually dark. The legs are yellow to yellow green, with prominent spines. Femurs (sic) I and II have ventral dark lines. (Rose, 2022) BugGuide Google, iNaturalist, Wikipedia, GBIFTechnical Description: Spiders of North America - Bradley; Spiders of the Carolinas – Gaddy; Bugguide; Hentz 1987;
Comments: Abdomen white with some brownish gold markings and two thin dark parallel lines on lower portion and some black spots on upper portion. Cephalothorax yellowish-green with a single dark line down the center. Legs yellowish green covered in setae, with dark lines on the ventral surface of the first two legs' femora. Younger individuals tend to be more green. The spiders in the genus Mangora have tufts of long, thin sensory hair (trichobothria) on the front edge of the tibiae of leg III.
Total Length: Very Small, female total body length 3.4-4.8 mm, male total body length 2.6-3.2 mm.Adult ID: identifiable by photo
Distribution in North Carolina
Comments: Common throughout North Carolina and the eastern United States. Adults summer through fall. The hatched young remain in the egg case through winter and emerge in summer.
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Adult phenology:
 High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft.
 Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft.
 Piedmont (Pd)
 Coastal Plain (CP)

Click on graph to enlarge
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: fields, forest edges, roadsides and gardens.
Observation Methods: Visual observation, sweep netting.
Abundance/Frequency: Common
Silk / Web: Web is a fine meshed orb built horizontally or at an angle to the vertical, with a central "bullseye" stabilimentum in the center. Spider may remain in the web during the day. Purpose of center bullseye uncertain, camouflage for spider or it may attract UV light like those of Argiope.
Behavior: In October builds web at dawn orienting its web perpendicular to the rising sun, to warm up in its web quicker.
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
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 Photo Gallery for Mangora gibberosa - Lined orbweaver

Photos: 28

Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-09-21
Wilson Co.
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Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-09-21
Wilson Co.
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Recorded by: Donald Zepp on 2022-09-24
Johnston Co.
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Recorded by: David George on 2022-06-11
Orange Co.
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Recorded by: John Petranka on 2021-10-19
Orange Co.
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Recorded by: John Petranka on 2021-10-19
Orange Co.
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Recorded by: Owen McConnell on 2021-09-03
Durham Co.
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Recorded by: Morgan Freese on 2021-07-25
New Hanover Co.
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Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn on 2021-05-19
Wilkes Co.
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Recorded by: Erich Hofmann on 2021-04-30
New Hanover Co.
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Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn on 2021-04-21
Cumberland Co.
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Recorded by: Tracy S. Feldman on 2021-04-21
Scotland Co.
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Recorded by: Owen McConnell on 2020-09-30
Durham Co.
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Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn on 2020-06-16
Transylvania Co.
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Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn on 2020-06-08
Scotland Co.
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Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn, Kyle Kittelberger on 2020-05-13
Moore Co.
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Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn on 2017-09-30
New Hanover Co.
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Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn on 2016-09-05
Cumberland Co.
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Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn on 2016-07-21
Stokes Co.
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Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn on 2015-07-22
Stanly Co.
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Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn on 2015-06-05
Durham Co.
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Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn on 2014-06-16
Harnett Co.
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Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn on 2014-05-12
Burke Co.
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Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn on 2012-09-30
Granville Co.
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Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn on 2012-06-04
Warren Co.
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Recorded by: E. Corey and C. Dykstra on 2006-09-19
Beaufort Co.
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Recorded by: E. Corey and C. Dykstra on 2006-09-19
Beaufort Co.
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Recorded by: E. Corey on 2006-09-12
Wake Co.
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