Callilepis

For the South African plant genus of the same name, see Callilepis (plant).
Callilepis
male C. schuszteri
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Family: Gnaphosidae
Genus: Callilepis
Westring, 1874
Type species
Aranea nocturna
Linnaeus, 1758
Diversity
18 species

Callilepis is a genus of gnaphosid spiders with about 20 described species. Some are found from Mexico to Canada, others from Europe to India. They are most commonly found in dry areas, sandy roads and beaches.[1]

Description

Callilepis is easily distinguished from other Gnaphosidae by the single translucent lamina on the cheliceral retromargin, the short, angular endites and the flattened, transverse posterior median eyes. These eyes are probably not functional due to a series of ridges. Species range in size from 2.5 to 7 mm. The lateral eyes are larger than the medians. The abdomen is dark gray, longer than wide, with a dark, shiny anterior scutum in males, sometimes with white spots.[1]

Systematics

The species belong to two groups. The nocturna group consists of C. nocturna, C. pluto, C. imbecilla, C. chisos and C. concolor; the schuszteri group of C. schuszteri, C. mumai, C. eremella, C. gertschi and C. gosoga. Although both groups occur on both sides of the Atlantic, no species is holarctic in distribution.[1]

Species

The genus Callilepis contains the following species:[2]

  • Callilepis chakanensis Tikader, 1982 — India
  • Callilepis chisos Platnick, 1975 — USA
  • Callilepis concolor Simon, 1914 — Southern Europe
  • Callilepis cretica (Roewer, 1928) — Greece, Crete, Turkey, Azerbaijan
  • Callilepis eremella Chamberlin, 1928 — North America
  • Callilepis gertschi Platnick, 1975 — USA, Mexico
  • Callilepis gosoga Chamberlin & Gertsch, 1940 — USA
  • Callilepis imbecilla (Keyserling, 1887) — USA, Canada
  • Callilepis ketani Gajbe, 1984 — India
  • Callilepis lambai Tikader & Gajbe, 1977 — India
  • Callilepis mumai Platnick, 1975 — USA, Mexico
  • Callilepis nocturna (Linnaeus, 1758) — Palearctic
  • Callilepis pawani Gajbe, 1984 — India
  • Callilepis pluto Banks, 1896 — USA, Canada
  • Callilepis rajani Gajbe, 1984 — India
  • Callilepis rajasthanica Tikader & Gajbe, 1977 — India
  • Callilepis rukminiae Tikader & Gajbe, 1977 — India
  • Callilepis schuszteri (Herman, 1879) — Palearctic

References

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  1. 1 2 3 Platnick, Norman I. (1975): A revision of the Holarctic spider genus Callilepis (Araneae, Gnaphosidae). American Museum novitates 2573. PDF
  2. ↑ Platnick, Norman I. (2008): The world spider catalog, version 8.5. American Museum of Natural History.
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