Gasteracantha cancriformis, aka Star Spider, Spiny Orbweaver, Jewel Spider, and several other common names is a species of spider common in the southern US, Central and South America, some of the Islands of the Caribbean and the Bahamas. It has also been seen At the Whitsunday Islands, Australia, and South Africa Palawan, the Philippines and the Hawaiian island Kauai, probably introduced by merchant ships of the past.
Color variations of yellow and white, both with black spots are known. The white variant has either red or black spines or something in between while the yellow species is known only with black spines so far, but the variants could change while the species adapt to new areas changing climate.
The life of this species is short, it lasted only until reproduction. Females die after producing an egg mass, males six days after a complete cycle of sperm induction to the female.
The spider preys on small insects and is used in some orchards as pest control. It is usually harmless for humans. They could and puncture the skin with their spines if arrested and touched at the wrong place.

Sony DSC-HX200V, f/2.8.1/30 sec, ISO 500, focal length 5 mm, day light, no flash