Oval Saint Andrew's Cross Spider

Argiope aemula is a species of spider in the family Araneidae, found from India to the Philippines, in Sulawesi and in the New Hebrides. It is one of the species of giant conspicuous "signature spiders" of the genus Argiope, seen in tropical and subtropical grasslands. Signature spiders get their name from the zigzag design embossed on the web, the stabilimentum, that is believed to serve a camouflage function. They show extreme sexual dimorphism and males are...