also: こがねぐも
Argiope amoena; orb-weaving spider
A species of orb-weaving spider found in East Asia. The name is usually written in katakana.
A golden orb-weaver had spun its web in the garden.
wasp spider; Argiope bruennichi
Hiragana variant; less common than the katakana form.
Kanji spelling is rare and not normally used; the katakana form is preferred.
From 黄金, “gold,” and 蜘蛛, “spider,” with voicing in the second element. The name refers to the spider’s conspicuous yellow or golden markings.