my-server
← Wiki

Xerophaeus

Xerophaeus is a genus of ground spiders that was first described by William Frederick Purcell in 1907.

Description

There are no distinct patterns on the body of these medium sized ground dwellers. The body and legs are clothed with dense appressed setae and the male has a small brown scutum. Carapace moderately convex, attenuated in front, with thoracic striae.

The anterior row of eyes is strongly procurved; anterior median eyes large; posterior row of eyes wider, moderately or strongly procurved; posterior median eyes generally large, obliquely oval or angular and rather close together; lateral eyes of each side much closer together than the anterior and posterior median eyes.

The chelicera are hardly or not attenuated at apex, with three (sometimes two) superior teeth and one inferior tooth, the latter absent in some species; sternum rather broad in front, or, at any rate, not strongly attenuated nor produced. Abdomen of male scutate above at base. Legs generally rather short and robust, the anterior pairs spined below on the metatarsi and tarsi; tarsi and anterior metatarsi scopulate to the base, the posterior metatarsi and often also the anterior tibia scopulate distally.

Taxonomy

This genus has not been revised. This genus is evidently closely allied to Scotophaeus, which differs from it, according to Simon's diagnosis, principally in having the sternum strongly attenuated in front. In Scotophaeus also, both rows of eyes are apparently straighter, the chelicera more strongly attenuated at apex and the head more depressed (Purcell, 1907). Most of the Xerophaeus species have been described by Purcell (1907, 1908) and Tucker (1923).

X. zuluense was transferred to Xerophaeus zuluensis in 2025.

Species

it contains forty-one species and one subspecies:

References

External links