Biology:Psechridae

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Short description: Family of spiders

Psechridae
Temporal range: Oligocene–Present
Fecenia cylindrata.png
Fecenia cylindrata
Scientific classification e
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Infraorder: Araneomorphae
Family: Psechridae
Simon, 1890
Genera
Diversity
2 genera, 77 species
Distribution.psechridae.1.png

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 page: Biology:List of Psechridae species

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

  • Fecenia Simon, 1887 — Asia, Australia
  • Psechrus Thorell, 1878 — Asia, Australia
  • Eomatachia Petrunkevitch, 1942 (fossil, oligocene)


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. 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. 
  3. Gertsch, Willis J. (1979). American Spiders (2 ed.). Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York. ISBN 0-442-22649-7. https://archive.org/details/americanspiders00gert. 
  4. 4.0 4.1 Agnarsson, I. 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. et al. (2000). "Phylogenetic Corroboration of Superfamily Lycosoidae Spiders (Araneae) as Inferred from Partial Mitochondrial 12S and 16S Ribosomal DNA Sequences". Zoological Studies 39 (2): 107–113. http://zoolstud.sinica.edu.tw/Journals/39.2/107-113.pdf. 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. doi:10.1038/srep00833. PMID 23150784. Bibcode2012NatSR...2E.833B. 
  7. 7.0 7.1 "Family: Psechridae Simon, 1890". Natural History Museum Bern. http://www.wsc.nmbe.ch/family/82. 

Further reading

  • Levi, H.W. (1982). The spider genera Psechrus and Fecenia (Araneae, Psechridae). Pacific Insects 24: 114-138. - revision of the family
  • Wang, X.P. & Yin, C.M. (2001). A review of the Chinese Psechridae (Araneae). J. Arachnol. 29: 330-344. PDF


Wikidata ☰ Q11686 entry