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Cheiramiona

Cheiramiona is a genus of sac spiders in the family Cheiracanthiidae. The genus was described by & Dippenaar-Schoeman in 1999. It is an African genus with 50 known species, of which 35 have been recorded from South Africa.

Common name

Cheiramiona species are commonly known as long-legged sac spiders.

Distribution

Spiders in this genus are mostly found in Southern Africa, with few reaching as far north as Egypt.

Description

Cheiramiona are medium-sized spiders, with females measuring approximately 6.28 mm and males 5.18 mm in total length. Males and females are very similar in appearance, though males are more slender with slightly longer legs.

The cephalothorax and legs are yellow to orange in color, sometimes darker in the eye region, with distinct to indistinct markings on the opisthosoma and legs. The coloration is more distinct in live specimens but fades to an overall pale yellow in specimens preserved for extended periods in alcohol.

The carapace is sub-ovoid and highest in the cephalic region. The fovea is inconspicuous to absent. Eyes are arranged in two transverse rows. In males, the chelicerae are sometimes well developed with long fangs.

The abdomen is elongate-oval and covered with soft hairs. A distinct heart-mark is present. The apical segment of the posterior spinnerets is conical. The legs are relatively long, with leg I longer than leg IV.

Habitat and behavior

Cheiramiona species are free-living plant dwellers that construct silk retreats in rolled-up leaves. They are found across various habitats throughout Africa, with the highest diversity in South Africa.

Taxonomy

The genus was originally described by Lotz & Dippenaar-Schoeman in 1999. The first species were revised by Lotz in 2002, and additional new species were described by Lotz in 2015.

Originally placed in the family Miturgidae, Cheiramiona was transferred to the Eutichuridae (now Cheiracanthiidae) by Ramírez in 2014.

C. clavigera was originally described by Eugène Simon in 1897, C. dubia by O. Pickard-Cambridge in 1874.

Species

, this genus includes fifty species:

References