Stiphidiidae, also called sheetweb spiders, is a family of araneomorph spiders first described in 1917.[1] Most species are medium size (Stiphidion facetum is about 8 millimetres (0.31 in) long) and speckled brown with long legs. All members of this family occur in New Zealand and Australia except for Asmea.[2] They build a horizontal sheet-like web under rocks, hence the name "sheetweb spiders".
| Sheetweb spiders | |
|---|---|
| |
| Stiphidion facetum | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Araneomorphae |
| Family: | Stiphidiidae Dalmas, 1917 |
| Diversity | |
| 20 genera, 126 species | |
| |
The largest of New Zealand's species is Cambridgea foliata, with a body length up to 2.5 centimetres (0.98 in) and a span of up to 15 centimetres (5.9 in). Hikers and trampers often find their sheet-like webs that can be up to 1 metre (3 ft 3 in) across, but the spider itself is nocturnal, spending the day time inside its web tunnel.[3] It can also be found in gardens and males may enter human homes. Their large size, including mouth parts up to 1 centimetre (0.39 in) long, may be intimidating, but it is considered harmless to humans and bites are extremely rare.
Genera
editAs of April 2019[update], the World Spider Catalog accepts the following genera:[2]
- Aorangia Forster & Wilton, 1973 — New Zealand
- Asmea Gray & Smith, 2008 — Papua New Guinea
- Borrala Gray & Smith, 2004 — Australia
- Carbinea Davies, 1999 — Australia
- Couranga Gray & Smith, 2008 — Australia
- Elleguna Gray & Smith, 2008 — Australia
- Jamberoo Gray & Smith, 2008 — Australia
- Kababina Davies, 1995 — Australia
- Karriella Gray & Smith, 2008 — Australia
- Malarina Davies & Lambkin, 2000 — Australia
- Marplesia Lehtinen, 1967 — New Zealand
- Neolana Forster & Wilton, 1973 — New Zealand
- Neoramia Forster & Wilton, 1973 — New Zealand
- Pillara Gray & Smith, 2004 — Australia
- Procambridgea Forster & Wilton, 1973 — Australia, New Zealand
- Stiphidion Simon, 1902 — Australia, New Zealand
- Tartarus Gray, 1973 — Australia
- Therlinya Gray & Smith, 2002 — Australia
- Tjurunga Lehtinen, 1967 — Australia
- Wabua Davies, 2000 — Australia
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Dalmas, R. de (1917). "Araignées de Nouvelle-Zélande". Annales de la Société Entomologique de France. 86: 317–430.
- ^ a b "Family: Stiphidiidae Dalmas, 1917". World Spider Catalog. Natural History Museum Bern. Retrieved 2019-04-24.
- ^ "SHEETWEB SPIDER". Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research. Retrieved 2019-04-24.
External links
edit
- Picture of Cambridgea foliata
- Pictures of Stiphidium facetum and its web
- Gray, M. R. & H. M. Smith (2002). Therlinya, a new genus of spiders from eastern Australia (Araneae: Amaurobioidea). Rec. austral. Mus. 54: 293–312.PDF
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