Homalonychidae

Taxobox
name = Homalonychidae


image_width = 250px
image_caption "Homalonychus sp."
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Arthropoda
classis = Arachnida
ordo = Araneae
subordo = Araneomorphae
zoosectio = Entelegynae
superfamilia = "incertae sedis"
familia = Homalonychidae
familia_authority = Simon, 1893
diversity_link = List of Homalonychidae species
diversity = 1 genus, 3 species
range_

---

range_map_width = 250px
subdivision_ranks = Genera
subdivision = see text

The Homalonychidae are a very small spider family with three described species in one genus.

They do not build webs and are typically found under rocks or dead vegetation. At least the two North American species live in deserts, to which they are adapted by color and specialized setae which allow them to attach sand and fine soil to themselves. They also partially bury themselves. [ [http://nature.berkeley.edu/~screws/current%20research.htm Sarah C. Crews: "Homalonychus" in the Desert Southwest] ]

Distribution

Two species are found in the southern USA and Mexico. "H. theologus" is mostly found west of the Colorado River, "H. selenopoides" mostly to the east, with some populations in Death Valley and near Mercury, Nevada.

In 1991 a species from India was described; however, according to PlatnickPlatnick, N.I. (2006). World Spider Catalog 7.0: [http://research.amnh.org/entomology/spiders/catalog/HOMALONYCHIDAE.html Homalonychidae] ] , this third species was misplaced in this genus.

pecies

* "Homalonychus raghavai" Patel & Reddy, 1991 (India)
* "Homalonychus selenopoides" Marx, 1891 (USA, Mexico)
* "Homalonychus theologus" Chamberlin, 1924 (USA, Mexico)

ee also

* List of Homalonychidae species

References

* Marx, G. (1891). A contribution to the knowledge of North American spiders. "Proc. ent. Soc. Wash." 2:28-37.
* Chamberlin, R.V. (1924). The spider fauna of the shores and islands of the Gulf of California. "Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci." 12:561-694.
* Roth, V.D. (1984). The spider family Homalonychidae (Arachnida, Araneae). "American Museum novitates" 2790 [http://digitallibrary.amnh.org/dspace/bitstream/2246/3524/1/N2790.pdf PDF]
* Patel, B.H. & Reddy, T.S. (1991). A rare new species of "Homalonychus" Marx (Araneae: Homalonychidae) from coastal Andhra Pradesh, India. "Rec. zool. Surv. India" 89:205-207.
* Vetter, R.S. & Cokendolpher, J.C. (2000). "Homalonychus theologus" (Araneae, Homalonychidae): Description of eggsacs and a possible defensive posture. "The Journal of Arachnology" 28:361-363 [http://www.americanarachnology.org/JoA_free/JoA_v28_n3/arac-28-03-0361.pdf PDF]
* Crews, S.C. & Hedin, M.C. (2006). Studies of morphological and molecular phylogenetic divergence inspiders (Araneae: "Homalonychus") from the American southwest including divergence along the Baja Peninsula. "Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution" 38:470-487. [http://nature.berkeley.edu/~screws/crews%20&%20hedin%2006.pdf PDF]

External links

* [http://nature.berkeley.edu/~screws/current%20research.htm Pictures of "Homalonychus sp."]