About Micrathena brevipes (O.Pickard-Cambridge, 1890)
This species is Micrathena brevipes (O.Pickard-Cambridge, 1890). Female M. brevipes have distinctive long, slender fork-like projections extending from the abdomen, paired with large anterior spines and small scars on the middle of each abdominal side. Female total body length ranges from 7.9 to 9.9 mm. The female carapace measures 3.5 mm long and 2.7 mm wide, and the abdomen has a characteristic shape that sets this species apart from its close relatives. Males are considerably smaller than females, with a total body length of only 4.0 to 4.3 mm. The male carapace is shiny and colored dark brown to black; the male abdomen is orange, with white pigmentation at both its anterior and posterior ends. A male's legs are orange, with dark longitudinal lines running along their upper surface. This species has been recorded from the region extending from Mexico to Panama. Confirmed collection localities include the Mexican state of Chiapas, multiple provinces of Costa Rica, and Panama. Females of M. brevipes have been found occupying webs built in low vegetation within dense jungle and forest habitats.
