Velvet spider

Taxobox
name = Velvet spiders

---

image_caption = male "Eresus"
image_width = 250px
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Arthropoda
classis = Arachnida
ordo = Araneae
subordo = Araneomorphae
superfamilia = Eresoidea
familia = Eresidae
familia_authority = C. L. Koch, 1851
diversity_link = List of Eresidae species
diversity = 10 genera, 102 species
range_

---

range_map_width = 250px
subdivision_ranks = Genera
subdivision = see text

The velvet spiders (family Eresidae) are a small group (about 100 species in 10 genera) of almost totally Old World spiders (exception: a few species are known from Brazil). The characteristics of this family of spiders are that they are entelegyne (have a genital plate in the female), eight-eyed araneomorph spiders that build unkempt webs. With the exception of "Wajane", they are cribellate (use wooly silk). Some species are nearly eusocial, lacking only a specialized caste system and a queen. They cooperate in brood rearing, unlike almost most other spiders except for some African agelenid spiders in the genus "Agelena" and a few others.

"Wayane" is grouped together with "Penestomus" as the subfamily "Penestominae".

Genera

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

* Eresinae C. L. Koch, 1851:* "Adonea" Simon, 1873 — Mediterranean:* "Dorceus" C. L. Koch, 1846 — Africa:* "Dresserus" Simon, 1876 — Africa:* "Eresus" Walckenaer, 1805 — Palearctic to Morocco:* "Gandanameno" Lehtinen, 1967 — Africa:* "Paradonea" Lawrence, 1968 — Africa:* "Seothyra" Purcell, 1903 — Africa:* "Stegodyphus" Simon, 1873 — Africa, Madagascar, Brazil, Eurasia

* Penestominae C. L. Koch, 1851:* "Penestomus" Simon, 1902 — South Africa:* "Wajane" Lehtinen, 1967 — South Africa

ee also

* List of Eresidae species
* Spider families

References

* (1967): Classification of the cribellate spiders and some allied families, with notes on the evolution of the suborder Araneomorpha. "Ann. Zool. Fenn." 4: 199-468.
* (1989): The African species of the subfamily Penestominae (Araneae: Eresidae): with description of two new species. "Phytophylactica" 21: 131-134.

External links

* [http://www.museums.org.za/bio/spiderweb/eresidae.htm Family Eresidae (Velvet Spiders)]
* [http://research.amnh.org/entomology/spiders/catalog81-87/index.html Platnick, N.I. 2005. World Spider Catalog]