Philodromidae

Taxobox
name = Philodromidae

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image_caption = "Philodromus praelustris"
image_width = 250px
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Arthropoda
classis = Arachnida
ordo = Araneae
superfamilia = Thomisoidea
familia = Philodromidae
familia_authority = Thorell, 1870
diversity_link = List of Philodromidae species
diversity = 29 genera, 522 species
range_

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range_map_width = 250px
subdivision_ranks = Genera
subdivision = "Ebo"
"Philodromus"
"Thanatus"
"Tibellus"
"many more, see text"

Philodromidae is a family of spiders commonly known as "philodromid crab spiders" or "running crab spiders". This family is superficially similar to the "true" crab spiders in the family Thomisidae.

However, studies have shown that these families are not as closely related as previously thought. Unlike thomisids, philodromids tend to have few true setae (hairs or spines) on their bodies. They also lack the congruent eye tubercles of some thomisids. The second legs are usually the longer of the four pairs of walking legs and in the genus "Ebo" this is quite extreme, with the second pair of legs in some species twice as long as the first pair.

The most common genus is "Philodromus" which, like "Ebo" is widespread. Other common genera include the elongate grass-dwelling "Tibellus" and the widespread "Thanatus", which includes the widely distributed Holarctic house crab spider "Thanatus vulgaris". This species commonly captures flies on and in buildings.

The family contains over 500 species in nearly 30 genera. Most are dull colored- brown, gray, yellowish or mottled, and seldom reach above 10 mm in body length. Most have a leaf-like cardiac mark on the anterior dorsal abdomen. None of the species build webs, but they do use silk for draglines and for egg sacs.

Genera

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

* Pedinopisthinae:* "Pagiopalus" Simon, 1900 (Hawai'i):* "Pedinopistha" Karsch, 1880 (Hawai'i)

* Philodrominae:* "Apollophanes" O. P-Cambridge, 1898 (USA to Panama, India, Russia, Korea):* "Bacillocnemis" Mello-Leitão, 1938 (Argentina):* "Berlandiella" Mello-Leitão, 1929 (Brazil):* "Cleocnemis" Simon, 1886 (South America):* "Ebo" Keyserling, 1884 (Argentina, North America, India, Russia, Israel):* "Eminella" Özdikmen, 2007 (Argentina) - renamed from "Catuna" Mello-Leitão, 1940:* "Fageia" Mello-Leitão, 1929 (Brazil):* "Gephyrellula" Strand, 1932 (Brazil):* "Gephyrina" Simon, 1895 (South America):* "Gephyrota" Strand, 1932 (Africa, Asia):* "Hirriusa" Strand, 1932 (Africa):* "Metacleocnemis" Mello-Leitão, 1929 (Brazil):* "Paracleocnemis" Schiapelli & Gerschman, 1942 (Argentina):* "Paratibellus" Simon, 1932 (Europe to Central Asia):* "Petrichus" Simon, 1886 (South America):* "Philodromops" Mello-Leitão, 1943 (Brazil):* "Philodromus" Walckenaer, 1826 (236 species; Holarctic, America, Australia, Africa, southern Asia):* "Procleocnemis" Mello-Leitão, 1929 (Brazil):* "Suemus" Simon, 1895 (Africa, Vietnam):* "Thanatus" C. L. Koch, 1837 (Africa, Holarctic, South America):* "Tibellus" Simon, 1875 (Africa, America, Holarctic, southern Asia):* "Tibitanus" Simon, 1907 (Africa):* "Vacchellia" Caporiacco, 1935 (Karakorum)

* Pselloninae:* "Psellonus" Simon, 1897 (India):* "Pseudopsellonus" Balogh, 1936 (New Guinea):* "Senoculifer" Balogh, 1936 (New Guinea)

* "incertae sedis":* "Euthanatus" Petrunkevitch, 1950 † (fossil):* "Filiolella" Petrunkevitch, 1955 † (fossil):* "Medela" Petrunkevitch, 1942 † (fossil)

Gallery

ee also

* List of Philodromidae species
* Spider families

External links

* [http://research.amnh.org/entomology/spiders/catalog81-87/index.html Platnick, N.I. 2003. World Spider Catalog]
* [http://www.americanarachnology.org/HiResGallery/philodromid.html Picture of a philodromid]