Araneus ventricosus is a nocturnal orb-weaver spider found in Russia (Far East), Korea, Japan, China, and Taiwan that has been involved in numerous research studies and is easily identified by its nocturnal web-building behavior. Araneus ventricosus venom is effective against invertebrate prey, but its venom is ineffective in vertebrates. Its silk has been researched extensively and has several unique properties. For instance, A. ventricosus is able to produce flagelliform silk, and its TuSp1 (tubuliform spidroin) and AcSp1 (aciniform spidroin) genes have been sequenced. The spider also has unique eyes that are affected by their circadian rhythm and imply the existence of an efferent optic nerve within the species' central nervous system.

...