About Araneus gemma (McCook, 1888)
Araneus gemma, first described by McCook in 1888, is commonly called the cat-faced spider (a name it shares with Araneus gemmoides) or the jeweled orbweaver spider. It is a common outdoor orb-weaver spider native to the western United States and Canada. Like most species in the Araneus genus, A. gemma is harmless to humans. Its venom contains a low-molecular-weight venomous toxin called argiotoxin, which acts as an antagonist against the neurotransmitter glutamate. Dopamine has also been identified in A. gemma venom at a concentration of 4.3 nM. The silk from A. gemma webs has a diameter ranging from 1 to 4 μm.
