| Araneus gemma | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Araneomorphae |
| Family: | Araneidae |
| Genus: | Araneus |
| Species: | A. gemma |
| Binomial name | |
| Araneus gemma McCook, 1888 | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Epeira gemma | |
Araneus gemma, commonly known as the cat-faced spider (a name shared with Araneus gemmoides) or jeweled orbweaver spider, is a common outdoor orb-weaver spider found in the western United States and Canada.
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
- ↑ K F Tipton (ed). Neurotoxins in Neurobiology Taylor & Francis, 1994; page 7. ISBN 013614991X
- ↑ Geoffrey A. Cordell. Chemistry and Pharmacology (Google eBook). Academic Press, Jul 27, 1995; page 69. ISBN 0124695469.
- ↑ Spider Physiology and Behaviour: Physiology Academic Press, Nov 26, 2011; page 23. ISBN 0123876680
- ↑ David Kaplan, Kevin McGrath. Protein-Based Materials Springer, 1997; page 113. ISBN 0817638482.
External links
Wikispecies has information related to Araneus gemma.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Araneus gemma.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.