Dysderidae

Taxobox

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image_caption = female "Dysdera erythrina"
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Arthropoda
classis = Arachnida
ordo = Araneae
superfamilia = Dysderoidea
familia = Dysderidae
familia_authority = C. L. Koch, 1837
diversity_link = List of Dysderidae species
diversity = 24 genera, 481 species
range_

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range_map_width = 250px
subdivision_ranks = Genera
subdivision = See text

The family Dysderidae ("woodlouse hunters", "sowbug-eating spiders" or "cell spiders") are araneomorph spiders found primarily in Eurasia, although extending into North Africa, with very few species occurring in South America, and one ("Dysdera crocata") introduced into many regions of the world.

Dysderids have six eyes, and are haplogyne, i.e. the females lack a sclerotized epigynum. There is a substantial number of genera, but two of them, "Dysdera" and "Harpactea", account for a very large number of the species and are widespread across the family's range. One species, "Dysdera crocata" (the woodlouse hunter), has been transported over much of the planet together with its preferred foods - woodlice. "Dysdera" also feeds on beetles. These spiders have very large chelicerae, which they use to pierce the armored bodies of woodlice and beetles. There are also some reports that they have a mildly toxic venom that can cause local reactions in humans; with their huge fangs there is little doubt that they could bite if threatened, but the venom has not been well studied. It is probably wise not to handle these spiders.

The spiders have their six eyes arranged in a semicircle like segestrids, but have only the first two pairs of legs produced forward. "Dysdera crocata" has a characteristic coloring, which can only be confused with spiders in the corinnid genera "Trachelas" and "Meriola": the carapace is dull red-brown and the abdomen gray or tan. The "two-tone" look, with the abdomen much lighter than the cephalothorax, is quite striking.

These rather large, burly-looking, slow-moving spiders are often seen in Autumn (fall) in basements and other cool areas of homes; presumably they are looking for a winter shelter.

Genera

The categorization into subfamilies follows Joel Hallan's [http://insects.tamu.edu/research/collection/hallan/Acari/Family/Dysderidae.txt Biology Catalog] .

* Dysderinae C. L. Koch, 1837:* "Cryptoparachtes" Dunin, 1992 (Georgia, Azerbaijan):* "Dysdera" Latreille, 1804 (worldwide):* "Dysderella" Dunin, 1992 (Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan)):* "Dysderocrates" Deeleman-Reinhold & Deeleman, 1988 (Balkans):* "Harpactocrates" Simon, 1914 (Europe):* "Hygrocrates" Deeleman-Reinhold, 1988 (Georgia, Turkey):* "Parachtes" Alicata, 1964 (Southern Europe):* "Rhodera" Deeleman-Reinhold, 1989 (Crete):* "Stalitochara" Simon, 1913 (Algeria):* "Tedia" Simon, 1882 (Israel, Syria)

* Harpacteinae:* "Dasumia" Thorell, 1875 (Europe, Middle East):* "Folkia" Kratochvíl, 1970 (Balkans):* "Harpactea" Bristowe, 1939 (Europe to Iran, Mediterranean):* "Holissus" Simon, 1882 (Corsica):* "Kaemis" Deeleman-Reinhold, 1993 (Italy):* "Minotauria" Kulczyn'ski, 1903 (Crete):* "Sardostalita" Gasparo, 1999 (Sardinia):* "Stalagtia" Kratochvíl, 1970 (Balkans, Greece)

* Rhodinae:* "Mesostalita" Deeleman-Reinhold, 1971 (Balkans, Italy):* "Parastalita" Absolon & Kratochvíl, 1932 (Bosnia-Herzegovina):* "Rhode" Simon, 1882 (Mediterranean):* "Speleoharpactea" Ribera, 1982 (Spain):* "Stalita" Schiödte, 1847 (Balkans):* "Stalitella" Absolon & Kratochvíl, 1932 (Balkans)

* "incertae sedis":* "Thereola" Petrunkevitch, 1955 † (fossil, oligocene)::* "Thereola petiolata" (Koch & Berendt, 1854) †

ee also

* List of Dysderidae species
* Spider families

References

* (2008): [http://research.amnh.org/entomology/spiders/catalog/index.html The world spider catalog] , version 8.5. "American Museum of Natural History".

External links