This is a species of spider belonging to the family Araneideae. Its distribution encompasses the whole Africa and stretches to southern Europe and Asia.
Sexual dimorphism in this species is very pronounced. Males are small but females are large and spectacular at up to 25 mm in length. Its silver abdomen is marked with black spots and carries deep furrows and distinctive lobes around the edge. As all spiders do, this species has glands within its abdomen, capable of secreting a fluid that hardens into silky threads. These filaments are spun into large and beautiful webs, usually with a prominent zig-zag decoration. It is thought that this decoration not only attracts preys to the web,but possibly even prevents its destruction by larger animals.
Argiope lobata is an insectivore spider, and before consuming its victims, it poisons and spins it in silk. Individuals from this species are able to devour animals up to twice its size. This species forms part of Andalusia’s species diversity and one should not harm or collect it; instead, such large spiders should be allowed to play their important role in the natural cycle of life.
The photo shows an female individual, in ventral view on the left and dorsal view on the right. Both images were taken in mount Calamorro (Benalmádena, Málaga) in September 23, 2017.
A Bit of Botany and Nature 