Psechridae
Temporal range: Oligocene–Present
Fecenia cylindrata
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Infraorder: Araneomorphae
Family: Psechridae
Simon, 1890
Genera
  • Fecenia Simon, 1887
  • Psechrus Thorell, 1878
  • †Eomatachia Petrunkevitch, 1942
Diversity
2 genera, 77 species

Psechridae is a family of araneomorph spiders with about 70 species in two genera.[1][2] These are among the biggest cribellate spiders with body lengths up to 2 centimetres (0.79 in) and funnel webs more than 1 metre (3 ft 3 in) in diameter.[3]

The family belongs to the RTA clade of spiders because they all have a Retrolateral Tibial Apophysis on the male pedipalp. A recent phylogenetic analysis places Psechridae as close relatives of the lynx spiders, wolf spiders, and nursery web spiders.[4]

They feature several characteristics normally found in ecribellate spiders, for example brood care behavior, and a colulus with no apparent function.[5] They have greatly elongated legs, with the last element being very flexible. Female Psechrus carry their egg-sac in the chelicerae, similar to their relatives, the ecribellate Pisauridae. Members of Psechrus construct horizontal webs lace webs, while Fecenia construct pseudo-orbs, similar to orb webs of Orbiculariae spiders in an example of evolutionary convergence.[4][6]

Distribution

They occur in southeastern Asia, ranging from India in the west, to Solomon Islands in the east, reaching as far south as northern Australia, and north to central China.[7] They are found in forest, rocky areas, and caves from lowlands to altitudes exceeding 2,000 metres (1.2 mi).

Genera

Main article: List of Psechridae species

As of April 2019, the World Spider Catalog accepts the following genera:[7]

See also

References

  1. ^ Bayer, S. (2011). "Revision of the pseudo-orbweavers of the genus Fecenia Simon, 1887 (Araneae, Psechridae), with emphasis on their preepigyne". ZooKeys (153): 1–56. doi:10.3897/zookeys.153.2110. PMC 3238043. PMID 22287909.
  2. ^ Bayer, S. (2012). "The lace-sheet-weavers—a long story (Araneae: Psechridae: Psechrus)". Zootaxa. 3379: 1. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.3379.1.1. S2CID 86223774.
  3. ^ Gertsch, Willis J. (1979). American Spiders (2 ed.). Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York. ISBN 0-442-22649-7.
  4. ^ a b Agnarsson, I.; Gregorič, M.; Blackledge, T.A.; Kuntner, M.; et al. (2013). "Phylogenetic placement of Psechridae and the convergent origin of orb-like spider webs". Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research. 51. doi:10.1111/jzs.12007.
  5. ^ Fang, K.; Yang, C.-C.; Lue, B.-W.; Chen, S.H.; Lue, K.-Y.; et al. (2000). "Phylogenetic Corroboration of Superfamily Lycosoidae Spiders (Araneae) as Inferred from Partial Mitochondrial 12S and 16S Ribosomal DNA Sequences" (PDF). Zoological Studies. 39 (2): 107–113. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2006-09-08. Retrieved 2007-05-29.
  6. ^ Blackledge, T.A.; Kuntner, M.; Agnarsson, I. (2012). "Biomaterial evolution parallels behavioral innovation in the origin of orb-like spider webs". Scientific Reports. 2: 833. Bibcode:2012NatSR...2E.833B. doi:10.1038/srep00833. PMC 3495280. PMID 23150784.
  7. ^ a b "Family: Psechridae Simon, 1890". World Spider Catalog. Natural History Museum Bern. Retrieved 2019-04-23.

Further reading

Wikispecies has information related to Psechridae.


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