Box kite spiders (Isoxya) is a genus of Afrotropical orb-weaver spiders first described by Eugène Simon in 1885. Like the spiny orb-weavers they have six prominent (but short) spines on their abdomen. They are small spiders, measuring across. Isoxya have a sclerotised (or porcelain-like) abdomen which is typical of the Gasteracanthinae.

Description

These spiders have a carapace that is usually as wide as it is long. Their abdomen is brightly decorated with yellow, red or black and white patterns. The dorsal part is hardened to form a rigid scutum bearing large spots and depressions, often prolonged laterally and posteriorly in spine-like extensions.

The spinnerets are surrounded by a sclerotised ring. Legs are relatively short. The eight eyes are in two rows (4:4). Males are much smaller than females and differ in color and shape.

Lifestyle During the day box kite spiders can be found in large orb-webs usually made high between trees. The web is usually decorated with small silk tufts. The egg sacs are covered with silk and they attach it to vegetation.

Species

, this genus includes seventeen species:

Isoxya basilewskyi Benoit & Emerit, 1975 – Rwanda, DR Congo Isoxya cicatricosa (C. L. Koch, 1844) – Central, East, Southern Africa, Yemen (type species) Isoxya cowani (Butler, 1883) – Madagascar Isoxya kochi (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1877) – West, Central, East Africa Isoxya mahafalensis Emerit, 1974 – Madagascar Isoxya manangona Agnarsson, Starrett, Babbitz, Bond, Gregorič, Raberahona, Williams & Kuntner, 2023 – Madagascar Isoxya milloti Emerit, 1974 – Madagascar Isoxya mossamedensis Benoit, 1962 – Angola, South Africa Isoxya mucronata (Walckenaer, 1841) – Sudan, DR Congo, South Africa Isoxya nigromutica (Caporiacco, 1939) – East Africa Isoxya reuteri (Lenz, 1886) – Madagascar Isoxya semiflava Simon, 1887 – West, Central Africa Isoxya somalica (Caporiacco, 1940) – Somalia Isoxya stuhlmanni (Bösenberg & Lenz, 1895) – DR Congo, Rwanda, Tanzania, Mozambique, South Africa, Eswatini Isoxya tabulata (Thorell, 1859) – DR Congo, Malawi, Tanzania, Angola, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, South Africa, Eswatini Isoxya testudinaria (Simon, 1901) – West, Central, East Africa Isoxya yatesi Emerit, 1973 – South Africa

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