Callilepis

Taxobox
name = "Callilepis"

---

image_caption = male "C. schuszteri"
image_width = 250px
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Arthropoda
classis = Arachnida
ordo = Araneae
familia = Gnaphosidae
genus = "Callilepis"
genus_authority = Westring, 1874
type_species = "Aranea nocturna"
type_species_authority = Linnaeus, 1758
diversity_link = List of Gnaphosidae species#Callilepis
diversity = 18 species
subdivision_ranks = Species
subdivision = "see text."

"Callilepis" is a genus of gnaphosid spiders with about 20 described species. Some are found from Mexico to Canada, others from Europe to India. They are most commonly collected in dry areas, sandy roads and beachesPlatnick 1975] .

Description

"Callilepis" is easily distinguished from other Gnaphosidae by the single translucent lamina on the cheliceral retromargin, the short, angular endites and the flattened, transverse posterior median eyes. These eyes are probably not functional due to a series of ridges. Species range in size from 2.5 to 7 mm. The lateral eyes are larger than the medians. The abdomen is dark gray, longer than wide, with a dark, shiny anterior scutum in males, sometimes with white spots.

ystematics

The species belong to two groups. The "nocturna" group consists of "C. nocturna", "C. pluto", "C. imbecilla", "C. chisos" and "C. concolor"; the "schuszteri" group of "C. schuszteri", "C. mumai", "C. eremella", "C. gertschi" and "C. gosoga". Although both groups occur on both sides of the Atlantic, no species is holarctic in distribution.

pecies

* "Callilepis chakanensis" Tikader, 1982 — India
* "Callilepis chisos" Platnick, 1975 — USA
* "Callilepis concolor" Simon, 1914 — Southern Europe
* "Callilepis cretica" (Roewer, 1928) — Greece, Crete, Turkey, Azerbaijan
* "Callilepis eremella" Chamberlin, 1928 — North America
* "Callilepis gertschi" Platnick, 1975 — USA, Mexico
* "Callilepis gosoga" Chamberlin & Gertsch, 1940 — USA
* "Callilepis imbecilla" (Keyserling, 1887) — USA, Canada
* "Callilepis ketani" Gajbe, 1984 — India
* "Callilepis lambai" Tikader & Gajbe, 1977 — India
* "Callilepis mumai" Platnick, 1975 — USA, Mexico
* "Callilepis nocturna" (Linnaeus, 1758) — Palearctic
* "Callilepis pawani" Gajbe, 1984 — India
* "Callilepis pluto" Banks, 1896 — USA, Canada
* "Callilepis rajani" Gajbe, 1984 — India
* "Callilepis rajasthanica" Tikader & Gajbe, 1977 — India
* "Callilepis rukminiae" Tikader & Gajbe, 1977 — India
* "Callilepis schuszteri" (Herman, 1879) — Palearctic

Footnotes

References

* (1975): A revision of the Holarctic spider genus "Callilepis" (Araneae, Gnaphosidae). "American Museum novitates" 2573. [http://digitallibrary.amnh.org/dspace/bitstream/2246/2760/1/N2573.pdf PDF]
* (2008): [http://research.amnh.org/entomology/spiders/catalog/index.html The world spider catalog] , version 8.5. "American Museum of Natural History".