can anyone tell me what kind of a spider is this? http://www.friendster.com/photos/39087485/1/792886303?

Question

http://www.friendster.com/photos/39087485/1/792886303
duh, i've never seen anything like this before..................

i think it's a spider because it spins a web... i forgot to count the legs. an arachnid is supposed to have six legs. eight legs would mean it's an insect... am i right on the leg thing?

Answer 1

Very cool! Yes, it's a spider. You have the leg thing backwards, though - 6 for insect, 8 for arachnid. It reminds me of Gasteracantha, but the tropical spiny araneids are not one of the groups I'm very familiar with.

Answer 2

Are you sure it's a spider? Spiders don't have antennae. Tried to count the legs but couldn't see very well in the photo -- thin leg-like things might be twigs. Has to have eight legs plus a pair of mandibles in the front (not the fangs which are hidden, mandibles that resemble tiny legs over the mouth). We can't see the mouth from here, but I only see six legs (black). The brownish things seem like twigs.