Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jul 2, 2026

Cryptaranea venustula

Cryptaranea venustula is a species of orb-weaver spider that is endemic to New Zealand.

Last revised
Jul 2, 2026
Read time
≈ 1 min
Length
217 w
Citations
6
Source
Cryptaranea venustula
Not Threatened
Not Threatened (NZ TCS)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Infraorder: Araneomorphae
Family: Araneidae
Genus: Cryptaranea
Species:
C. venustula
Binomial name
Cryptaranea venustula
(Urquhart, 1891)
Synonyms
  • Epeira venustula
  • Epeira munda
  • Epeira munda inversa
  • Araneus venustulus
  • Aranea mundania
  • Aranea mundania inversa
source ↗

Cryptaranea venustula is a species of orb-weaver spider that is endemic to New Zealand.1

Taxonomy

This species was described as Epeira venustula in 1891 by Arthur Urquhart from a female specimen collected in Stratford.2 It was most recently revised in 1988, in which it was transferred to the Cryptaranea genus.1

Description

The female is recorded at 6.5mm in length whereas the male is 3.4mm.1

Distribution

This species is widespread throughout New Zealand, including the Chatham Islands.1

Conservation status

Under the New Zealand Threat Classification System, this species is listed as "Not Threatened".3

References

References

  1. Court, D. J. & Forster, R. R. (1988). The spiders of New Zealand: Part VI. Family Araneidae. Otago Museum Bulletin 6: 68-124.
  2. Urquhart, A.T. (1891). "On new species of Araneae". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 23: 128–189.
  3. Sirvid, P. J.; Vink, C. J.; Fitzgerald, B. M.; Wakelin, M. D.; Rolfe, J.; Michel, P. (2020-01-01). "Conservation status of New Zealand Araneae (spiders), 2020" (PDF). New Zealand Threat Classification Series. 34: 1–37.