Its range includes Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, Borneo, and Sumatra in Indonesia.

[1] Female Gasteracantha mengei are distinctive in that they lack rear spines on the abdomen.

The larger median spines are tapered and angled slightly backward, close to 5 mm each in length.

[2][3] The upper surface of the abdomen fluoresces blue-green under ultraviolet light.

[4] G. mengei can be confused with dark brown forms of G. diardi, but G. diardi has prominent spines on the posterior end of the abdomen.