Araneus
(Angulate & Round-shouldered Orb-weavers)

It does look like it, but there doesn’t appear to be a well-documented population of A. cucurbitina in South Africa. I checked the World Spider Catalog (it’s online) for the larger known population. The preface to the list says they don’t have the resources to be thorough about everywhere a species is found. So, it is possible for spiders to be in areas the Catalog doesn’t list them. I checked iNaturalist to work the other way, to see if there were sightings in Africa. There are other species that it can match in Africa. Perhaps Araneus apricus, the Green Pea… Read more »