Phrynarachne is a genus of crab spiders first described by Tamerlan Thorell in 1869.
Distribution Spiders in this genus are found in Asia and Africa.
Description
The genus Phrynarachne exhibits colour variation from dull brownish red to greyish white.
The carapace is as long as wide or longer with a broad and obtusely truncated clypeus in some species such as P. rugosa. The integument is hard, unequal, grooved and bearing distinct tubercles.
The eye region is narrower anteriorly with two equally recurved eye rows, the anterior row narrower than the posterior row. The posterior eyes are equidistant from each other with median eyes half the size of the lateral eyes. The median ocular quadrangle is as long as wide or slightly longer, slightly narrower anteriorly, with lateral eyes raised on common elevations.
The abdomen shape is variable with hard, unequal, grooved integument bearing distinct tubercles in P. rugosa, or with distinct extensions in P. melloleitaoi.
Legs are thick and robust, angular and grooved, with legs I and II stronger than the rest. The tibiae and metatarsi of legs I and II are almost the same length, flattened on the underside and armed with numerous robust, fairly short rows of spines. The tarsi have irregular and recumbent hairs with tarsal claws sometimes robust, curved with 6 to 10 teeth.
Males are smaller than females with anterior legs more slender and armed with fine, very long spines. The palp has two small tibial apophyses.
Life style These spiders live on the surface of leaves on a disc of white silk with a striking resemblance to bird excrement.
Species
, this genus includes 34 species and one subspecies:
Phrynarachne aspera Thorell, 1895 – Myanmar Phrynarachne bimaculata Thorell, 1895 – Myanmar Phrynarachne brevis Tang & Li, 2010 – China Phrynarachne ceylonica (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1884) – India, Sri Lanka to China, Taiwan, Japan Phrynarachne cheesmanae (Berland, 1938) – Vanuatu Phrynarachne clavigera Simon, 1903 – Madagascar Phrynarachne coerulescens (Doleschall, 1859) – Indonesia (Java) Phrynarachne cucullata Simon, 1886 – Cambodia, Vietnam, Moluccas Phrynarachne decipiens (Forbes, 1884) – India, Malaysia, Indonesia (Java, Sumatra) Phrynarachne dissimilis (Doleschall, 1859) – Indonesia (Java) Phrynarachne dreepy Lin & Li, 2022 – Southeast Asia and Papua Phrynarachne fatalis O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1899 – Sri Lanka Phrynarachne gracilipes Pavesi, 1895 – Ethiopia Phrynarachne huangshanensis Li, Chen & Song, 1985 – China Phrynarachne jobiensis (Thorell, 1877) – New Guinea Phrynarachne kannegieteri van Hasselt, 1893 – Indonesia (Sumatra) Phrynarachne katoi Chikuni, 1955 – China, Korea, Japan Phrynarachne lancea Tang & Li, 2010 – China Phrynarachne mammillata Song, 1990 – China Phrynarachne marmorata Pocock, 1900 – Equatorial Guinea Phrynarachne melloleitaoi Lessert, 1933 – Angola, South Africa, Lesotho Phrynarachne olivacea Jézéquel, 1964 – Ivory Coast Phrynarachne papulata Thorell, 1891 – Indonesia (Sumatra) Phrynarachne peeliana (Stoliczka, 1869) – India Phrynarachne pusiola Simon, 1903 – Madagascar Phrynarachne rothschildi Pocock, 1903 – Sri Lanka Phrynarachne rubroperlata Simon, 1907 – West Africa Phrynarachne rugosa (Walckenaer, 1805) – West Africa, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Zambia, Malawi, South Africa, Madagascar, Réunion, Mauritius (type species) P. r. spongicolorata Millot, 1942 – Guinea Phrynarachne tuberculata Rainbow, 1899 – New Guinea Phrynarachne tuberosa (Blackwall, 1864) – India Phrynarachne tuberosula (Karsch, 1880) – West Africa Phrynarachne xuxiake Lin & Li, 2022 – China Phrynarachne yunhui Lin & Li, 2022 – China (Hainan) Phrynarachne zhengzhongi Lin & Li, 2022 – China
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