About Steatoda cingulata (Thorell, 1890)
Based on Thorell's original description, Steatoda cingulata is a relatively small spider with distinctive coloration. Its cephalothorax (the front body section) and sternum are black, while other parts of the body have reddish-brown coloring. The clypeus (the area between the eyes and the front body edge) and mandibles are lighter, ranging in color from rust-colored to reddish-brown. The legs are blackish-brown with reddish-brown coloring, which is especially prominent on the femora (thigh leg segments) and other leg segments. The abdomen is black with distinctive white markings, which give the species its scientific name; "cingulata" translates to "banded" or "girdled". Near the base of the abdomen, above the front slope, there is a narrow curved white transverse band that extends across roughly one-third of the abdomen's lateral width. Additional white markings include transverse lines across the middle of the abdomen, and longitudinal white lines toward the abdomen's rear. These markings sometimes form T-shaped patterns. Male individuals have a body length of approximately 3.25–5.25 mm, while female individuals reach around 7 mm in body length. This species displays the typical sexual dimorphism common to cobweb spiders, with females growing larger than males. Steatoda cingulata has been recorded in India, China, Korea, Japan, Vietnam, Laos, and Indonesia (specifically on the islands of Sumatra and Java). It appears to be widely distributed across temperate and tropical regions of Asia.
