Araneidae Clerck, 1757

Family |   ACCEPTED

N.B.: family name and authorship as per ICZN, 2009 Opinion 2224, after application by Kluge, 2007; Arkyinae L. Koch, 1872 (genera Arkys Walckenaer, 1837 and Demadiana Strand, 1929) elevated to Arkyidae by Dimitrov et al., 2017: 244; monophyly of Araneidae stated by Kallal et al., 2018: 138; Nephilinae Simon, 1894 [urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spiderfam:0111] elevated to family and relimited by Kuntner, 2006: 24, re-synonymized with Araneidae by Dimitrov et al., 2017: 244; Nephilinae and Phonognathinae Simon, 1894 (Simon, 1894a: 746 as Phonognatheae), the valid name for Zygiellinae Simon, 1929 sensu Wunderlich, 2004f, elevated to family by Kuntner et al., 2019: 563, not accepted by Scharff et al., 2020 and Kallal et al., 2020, and confirmed as family by Kuntner et al., 2023: 969-970 along with the separation of Paraplectanoididae Kuntner, Coddington, Agnarsson & Bond, 2023; Nephilinae and Phonognathinae downgraded to subfamily and Paraplectanoididae considered a synonym of Araneidae by Hormiga et al., 2023: 803; family status of Paraplectanoididae, Nephilidae and Phonognathidae revalidated by Kuntner et al., 2025: 17, 23, but not accepted here for reasons of stability; Oarcinae (Gnolus and Oarces) transferred from the Mimetidae to the Araneidae by Dimitrov et al., 2012: Suppl. 1, p. 15, re-transfer to the Mimetidae by Eskov & Marusik, 2023: 340 not accepted here (by majority vote of the WSC boards); Eskov & Marusik, 2023: 241 and Eskov & Marusik, 2024: 52 consider Zygiellidae as the valid name instead of Phonognathidae and accept the family status of Nephilidae; the status of the Nephilinae and Phonognathinae (= Zygiellidae) as subfamilies is accepted by majority vote of the WSC boards; Eskov & Marusik, 2024: 52 list ten subfamilies and tribes as valid (besides Nephilidae and Zygiellidae): Araneinae, Argiopinae Simon, 1890a: 81 (sub Argiopidae), Cyrtarachninae Simon, 1895a: 876 (sub Cyrtarachneae), Сyrtophorinae Simon, 1895a: 876 (sub Cyrtophoreae), Gasteracanthinae O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1871e: 217 (sub Gasteracanthides), Micratheninae Simon, 1895a: 848 (sub Micratheneae), Guizygiellinae Zhu, Song & Zhang, 2003: 42, Caerostrini Simon, 1895a: 831 (sub Cerostreae), Hypognathini Simon, 1895a: 871 (sub Hypognatheae) and Poltyini Simon, 1895a: 888 (sub Poltyeae).

Gen. Isoxya Simon, 1885 urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidergen:01497
type Gasteracantha cicatricosa C. L. Koch, 1844; gender feminine
N.B.: Simon, 1885d: 35 considered Isoxya a replacement name of Isacantha Simon, 1864 (described as subgenus of Gasteracantha, preoccupied in Coleoptera by Hope, 1833), but none of the species listed by Simon, 1864: 286 in Isacantha are later considered to belong to Isoxya, therefore Isacantha is regarded as a synonym of Gasteracantha (see there); Isoxya was removed from the synonymy of Gasteracantha Sundevall, 1833 by Benoit, 1962a: 14 (contra Simon, 1895a: 845); not a senior synonym of Afracantha Dahl, 1914, Hypsacantha Dahl, 1914 or Togacantha Dahl, 1914 (Emerit, 1974: 28-31, contra Benoit, 1962a: 14).

Transferred to other genera:

Isoxya camerunensis (Thorell, 1899) -- see Afracantha

Isoxya crucimaculata (Dahl, 1914) -- see Hypsacantha

Isoxya galeata Simon, 1887 -- see Aetrocantha

Isoxya nordviei (Strand, 1913) -- see Togacantha

In synonymy:

Isoxya cicatrella (Strand, 1907) = Isoxya tabulata (Thorell, 1859) (Dahl, 1914: 255, sub Gasteracantha)

Isoxya hildebrandti (Karsch, 1878) = Isoxya cicatricosa (C. L. Koch, 1844) (Dahl, 1914: 256, sub Gasteracantha)

Isoxya kibonotensis (Tullgren, 1910) = Isoxya tabulata (Thorell, 1859) (Dahl, 1914: 255, sub Gasteracantha)

Isoxya maculosa (Lenz, 1886) = Isoxya reuteri (Lenz, 1886) (Dahl, 1914: 255, sub Gasteracantha)

Isoxya modesta (Thorell, 1859) = Isoxya tabulata (Thorell, 1859) (Dahl, 1914: 255, sub Gasteracantha)

Isoxya momboensis (Tullgren, 1910) = Isoxya tabulata (Thorell, 1859) (Dahl, 1914: 255, sub Gasteracantha)

Isoxya penizoides Simon, 1887 = Isoxya kochi (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1877) (Hormiga et al., 2023: 808)

Isoxya proba (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1879) = Isoxya cicatricosa (C. L. Koch, 1844) (Strand, 1908g: 433, sub Gasteracantha hildebrandti)

Isoxya purpurea (Simon, 1884) = Isoxya mucronata (Walckenaer, 1841) (Dahl, 1914: 255, sub Gasteracantha)

Isoxya pygmaea (Bösenberg & Lenz, 1895) = Isoxya cicatricosa (C. L. Koch, 1844) (Dahl, 1914: 256, sub Gasteracantha)

Isoxya rogersi (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1879, T from Gasteracantha) = Isoxya semiflava Simon, 1887 (Benoit, 1962a: 29)

Isoxya sanguinipes (Strand, 1906) = Isoxya cicatricosa (C. L. Koch, 1844) (Dahl, 1914: 256, sub Gasteracantha)

Isoxya testudinaria benina (Strand, 1913, T from Gasteracantha) = Isoxya testudinaria (Simon, 1901) (Benoit, 1962a: 31)

Isoxya tuberifera (Dahl, 1914, T from Gasteracantha) = Isoxya cicatricosa (C. L. Koch, 1844) (Benoit, 1962a: 38)

Isoxya tuberosa (Thorell, 1859) = Isoxya mucronata (Walckenaer, 1841) (Dahl, 1914: 255, sub Gasteracantha)

Isoxya wealii (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1879) = Isoxya cicatricosa (C. L. Koch, 1844) (Dahl, 1914: 256, sub Gasteracantha)

Isoxya basilewskyi Benoit & Emerit, 1975 | | Rwanda, Congo urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:016201
Isoxya basilewskyi Benoit & Emerit, 1975: 324, f. 4-6 (Dmf) Original description
Isoxya cicatricosa (C. L. Koch, 1844) | | Central, East, Southern Africa, Yemen urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:016202 TYPE SPECIES
Gasteracantha cicatricosa C. L. Koch, 1844: 54, f. 877 (Df) Original description
Isacantha hildebrandti Karsch, 1878b: 313, pl. 8, f. 3 (Df) [urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:062726]
Gasteracantha wealii O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1879c: 290, pl. 27, f. 20 (Dj) [urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:062727]
Gasteracantha proba O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1879c: 291, pl. 27, f. 22 (Df) [urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:062728]
Gasteracantha pygmaea Bösenberg & Lenz, 1895: 47, pl. 2, f. 29 (Dm) [urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:062729]
Gasteracantha sanguinipes Strand, 1906b: 625 (Df) [urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:062730]
Gasteracantha hildebrandti Strand, 1908g: 433 (Dm, S of Gasteracantha proba)
Gasteracantha (Isoxya) cicatricosa Dahl, 1914: 256 (S of Gasteracantha hildebrandti, G. pygmaea, G. sanguinipes and G. wealii)
Gasteracantha (Isoxya) tubifera Dahl, 1914: 256, f. 18 (Df) [urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:062725]
Isoxya cicatricosa Benoit, 1962a: 38, f. 25bis (f, T from Gasteracantha, S of Gasteracantha tubifera)
Isoxya cicatricosa Emerit, 1973: 676, f. 2A-C, pl. IA, C (m)
Isoxya cicatricosa Benoit & Emerit, 1975: 327, f. 8a-b (m)
Isoxya cicatricosa Dippenaar-Schoeman et al., 2022e: 28, p. 27: 1 f., p. 28: 5 f. (f habitus)
Isoxya cowani (Butler, 1883) | | Madagascar urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:016203
Gasteracantha cowani Butler, 1883: 766, pl. 57, f. 5 (Dm) Original description
Gasteracantha cowani Dahl, 1914: 255 (Df)
Isoxya cowani Emerit, 1974: 49, f. 7A, 11, 12A-C, 16A (mf, T from Gasteracantha)
Isoxya kochi (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1877) | | West, Central, East Africa urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:016882
Paraplectana kochii O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1877c: 35, pl. 7, f. 10 (Df; Australia is possibly mislabelled per Hormiga et al., 2023: 810) Original description
Isoxia penizoides Simon, 1887a: 269 (Df) [urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:016209]
Gasteracantha penizoides Simon, 1895a: 843, f. 892 (f)
Paraplectanoides kochi Simon, 1895a: 871
Plectana penizoides Thorell, 1899: 64
Gasteracantha penizoides Simon, 1907d: 302 (Dm)
Isoxya penizoides Benoit, 1962a: 20 (T from Gasteracantha)
Isoxya penizoides Emerit, 1982b: 162, pl. 1B
Isoxya kochi Hormiga et al., 2023: 808 (T from Paraplectanoides, S of Isoxya penizoides)
Isoxya mahafalensis Emerit, 1974 | | Madagascar urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:016204
Isoxya mahafalensis Emerit, 1974: 43, f. 7C, 8, 9A-C, 10A-C, 16B (Dmf) Original description
Isoxya manangona Agnarsson, Starrett, Babbitz, Bond, Gregorič, Raberahona, Williams & Kuntner, 2023 | | Madagascar urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:062547
Isoxya manangona Agnarsson et al., 2023: 5, f. 2-25 (Dmf) Original description
Isoxya milloti Emerit, 1974 | | Madagascar urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:016205
Isoxya milloti Emerit, 1974: 55, f. 15, 16C (Df) Original description
Isoxya mossamedensis Benoit, 1962 | | Angola, South Africa urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:016206
Isoxya mossamedensis Benoit, 1962a: 24, f. 17 (Df) Original description
Isoxya mossamedensis Dippenaar-Schoeman et al., 2022e: 29, p. 27: 1 f., p. 29: 6 f. (f habitus)
Isoxya mucronata (Walckenaer, 1841) | | Sudan, DR Congo, South Africa urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:016207
Plectana mucronata Walckenaer, 1841: 156 (Df) Original description
Gasteracantha tuberosa Thorell, 1859: 303 (Df) [urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:062752]
Stanneoclavis tuberosa Karsch, 1879a: 330
Gasteracantha purpurea Simon, 1884k: 19, pl. 1, f. 9 (Df) [urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:062753]
Gasteracantha mucronata Dahl, 1914: 255 (S of Gasteracantha purpureaG. tuberosa and Isoxia semiflava [revalidated by Benoit, 1962a: 29])
Isoxya mucronata Benoit, 1962a: 27, f. 20 (f, T from Gasteracantha)
Isoxya mucronata Emerit, 1982b: 160, pl. 1C, f. 2 (Dm)
Isoxya mucronata Heinrichs & Barrion, 2004: 207, f. 581-582 (f)
Isoxya mucronata Dippenaar-Schoeman et al., 2022e: 30, 4 f. (f habitus)
Isoxya nigromutica (Caporiacco, 1939) | | East Africa urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:016208
Gasteracantha nigromutica Caporiacco, 1939a: 348 (Df) Original description
Isoxya nigromutica Benoit, 1962a: 66 (T from Gasteracantha)
Isoxya reuteri (Lenz, 1886) | | Madagascar urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:016210
Gasteracantha reuteri Lenz, 1886: 382, pl. 10, f. 3 (Df) Original description
Gasteracantha maculosa Lenz, 1886: 383, pl. 10, f. 4 (Df) [urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:062754]
Isoxya reuteri Dahl, 1914: 255 (S of Gasteracantha maculosa)
Isoxya reuteri Benoit, 1962d: 373 (T from Gasteracantha)
Isoxya reuteri Emerit, 1974: 51, f. 7B, 13, 14A-C, 16D (f)
Isoxya semiflava Simon, 1887 | | West, Central Africa urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:016211
Gasteracantha rogersi O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1879c: 292, pl. 27, f. 23 (Dm) [urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:062723]
Isoxia semiflava Simon, 1887a: 268, pl. 6, f. 2 (Df) Original description
Isoxya semiflava Simon, 1895a: 843, f. 893 (f)
Isoxya semiflava Benoit, 1962a: 29, f. 22 (f, removed from S of Gasteracantha mucronata [rejecting Dahl, 1914: 255], S of Gasteracantha rogersi [removed from S of G. testudinaria, rejecting Lessert, 1930: 659]; rogersi is the older name, but Benoit chose semiflava as valid without explanation, this was accepted by Platnick)
Isoxya somalica (Caporiacco, 1940) | | Somalia urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:016212
Gasteracantha somalica Caporiacco, 1940c: 773, f. 2 (Df) Original description
Isoxya somalica Benoit, 1962a: 67 (T from Gasteracantha)
Isoxya stuhlmanni (Bösenberg & Lenz, 1895) | | DR Congo, Rwanda, Tanzania, Mozambique, South Africa, Eswatini urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:016213
Gasteracantha stuhlmanni Bösenberg & Lenz, 1895: 48, pl. 2, f. 30 (Df) Original description
Isoxya stuhlmanni Benoit, 1962a: 34, f. 25 (f, T from Gasteracantha)
Isoxya stuhlmanni Dippenaar-Schoeman et al., 2022e: 31, 5 f. (f habitus)
Isoxya tabulata (Thorell, 1859) | | DR Congo, Malawi, Tanzania, Angola, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, South Africa, Eswatini urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:016214
Gasteracantha tabulata Thorell, 1859: 303 (Df) Original description
Gasteracantha modesta Thorell, 1859: 303 (Dm) [urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:062755]
Isoxia tabulata Pavesi, 1895a: 497
Gasteracantha cicatrella Strand, 1907a: 537 (Df) [urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:062756]
Gasteracantha kibonotensis Tullgren, 1910: 169 (Df) [urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:062757]
Gasteracantha momboensis Tullgren, 1910: 170 (Df) [urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:062758]
Gasteracantha tabulata Dahl, 1914: 255, f. 8 (f, S of Gasteracantha cicatrella, G. kibonotensis, G. modesta and G. momboensis)
Gasteracantha tabulata Lawrence, 1937: 234, f. 11 (mf)
Isoxya tabulata Benoit, 1962a: 36 (T from Gasteracantha)
Isoxya tabulata Emerit, 1973: 680, f. 3A-C, pl. IE-G (m)
Isoxya tabulata Benoit & Emerit, 1975: 327, f. 7a-b (m)
Isoxya tabulata Dippenaar-Schoeman et al., 2022e: 32, p. 32: 5 f., p. 33: 2 f. (f habitus)
Isoxya testudinaria (Simon, 1901) | | West, Central, East Africa urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:016215
Gasteracantha testudinaria Simon, 1901d: 20 (Df) Original description
Gasteracantha testudinaria benina Strand, 1913a: 385 (Df) [urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:062724]
Gasteraeantha (Isoxya) testudinaria Lessert, 1930: 659 (probable [junior] S of Gastheracantha rogersi, accepted by Roewer, 1942a: 938, rejected by Benoit, 1962a: 29, see Isoxya semiflava)
Isoxya testudinaria Benoit, 1962a: 31, f. 23 (f, T from Gasteracantha, S of Gasteracantha testudinaria benina)
Isoxya testudinaria Emerit, 1982b: 163, pl. 1D
Isoxya yatesi Emerit, 1973 | | South Africa, Eswatini urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:016216
Isoxya yatesi Emerit, 1973: 683, f. 4 (Df) Original description
Isoxya yatesi Dippenaar-Schoeman et al., 2022e: 34, 4 f. (f)
Isoxya yatesi Dippenaar-Schoeman, Sander & Uys, 2025: 10, f. 1-6 (f habitus)

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