Selenops

Taxobox
name = "Selenops"


image_caption =
image_width = 250px
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Arthropoda
classis = Arachnida
ordo = Araneae
subordo = Araneomorphae
familia = Selenopidae
genus = "Selenops"
genus_authority = Latreille, 1890
diversity_link = List of Selenopidae species#Selenops
diversity = 115 species
subdivision_ranks = Species
subdivision ="S. australiensis"
"S. galapagoensis"
"S. nesophilus"
"S. radiatus"
"many more"

Selenops is a spider genus that is found in many deserts of the world. It is very hard to distinguish the 115 species.

"S. australiensis" is found on or under dry bark in Australia. The female reaches 9mm, the male 7mm. It looks superficially like a huntsman spider.

"S. radiatus" hast proved to be an effective controlling agent of the potato tuber moth in South Africa.

Name

Named after the moon goddess Selene, and Greek "-ops" "eye", because of the moon-like form of the eyes.

External links

* [http://www.hargrove.org/selenops.htm Picture of "Selenops sp."]
* [http://www.usq.edu.au/spider/find/spiders/425.htm Picture of "S. australiensis"]