Acantharachne is a genus of African orb-weaver spiders first described by Albert Tullgren in 1910.
Taxonomy The genus Acantharachne was erected by Albert Tullgren in 1910 for the species Acantharachne cornuta. There was already a genus of echinoderms with a name differing only in the last letter, Acantharachna, so in 1929, Embrik Strand put forward a replacement name, Acantharanea. However, as the spelling was different, even if only by one letter, replacement was unnecessary.
Etymology The genus name is a combination of Latin acanthus "thorn, spine" and Ancient Greek arachne "spider".
Species , this genus includes eight species:
Acantharachne cornuta Tullgren, 1910 – Tanzania Acantharachne giltayi Lessert, 1938 – DR Congo, Madagascar Acantharachne lesserti Giltay, 1930 – Congo Acantharachne madecassa Emerit, 2000 – Madagascar Acantharachne milloti Emerit, 2000 – Madagascar Acantharachne psyche Strand, 1913 – Central Africa Acantharachne regalis Hirst, 1926 – Cameroon, Congo Acantharachne seydeli Giltay, 1935 – DR Congo, South Africa
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