Leptonetidae is a family of small spiders adapted to live in dark and moist places such as caves.[1] The family is relatively primitive having diverged around the Middle Jurassic period.[2] They were first described by Eugène Simon in 1890.[3]
Distinguishing characteristics
Leptonetids are small, with most falling between 2 and 5mm in total length.[2] They are generally pale in color and feature a greenish or bluish shine due to microscopic texture on the cuticle of their exoskeleton.[1] Those species which have retained their eyes, have 6 eyes set in a distinctive pattern, with posterior pair set back from the others. If a spider from this family looses a leg, it usually separates between the patella and tibia rather than at the coxa/trochanter joint. [4]
Habitat
Many live in caves or in leaf litter around the Mediterranean, and in Eurasia, Japan and southern North America.[5]
Genera
As of April 2022, the World Spider Catalog accepted the following genera:[5]
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Appaleptoneta Platnick, 1986 — United States
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Barusia Kratochvíl, 1978 — Montenegro, Croatia, Greece
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Calileptoneta Platnick, 1986 — United States
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Cataleptoneta Denis, 1955 — Asia, Europe
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Chisoneta Ledford & Griswold, 2011 — United States, Mexico
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Falcileptoneta Komatsu, 1970 — Japan, Korea
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Jingneta Wang & Li, 2020
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Leptoneta Simon, 1872 — Europe, Asia, Algeria
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Leptonetela Kratochvíl, 1978 — Greece, Asia
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Longileptoneta Seo, 2015 — Korea
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Masirana Kishida, 1942 — Japan, Korea
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Montanineta Ledford & Griswold, 2011 — United States
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Neoleptoneta Brignoli, 1972 — Mexico
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Ozarkia Ledford & Griswold, 2011 — United States
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Paraleptoneta Fage, 1913 — Algeria, Italy
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Protoleptoneta Deltshev, 1972 — Europe
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Rhyssoleptoneta Tong & Li, 2007 — China
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Sulcia Kratochvíl, 1938 — Europe
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Tayshaneta Ledford & Griswold, 2011 — United States
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Teloleptoneta Ribera, 1988 — Portugal
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Yueleptoneta Tong, 2022
Two genera have been moved to the family Archoleptonetidae:[6]
See also
References
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^ a b Spiders of the world : a natural history. Norman I. Platnick, Gustavo Hormiga, Peter, Jäger, R. Jocqué, Martín J. Ramírez, Robert J. Raven. Princeton, NJ. 2020. ISBN 978-0-691-20498-7. OCLC 1223249471.
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^ a b Ledford, Joel; Derkarabetian, Shahan; Ribera, Carles; Starrett, James; Bond, Jason E.; Griswold, Charles; Hedin, Marshal (2021-03-24). "Phylogenomics and biogeography of leptonetid spiders (Araneae : Leptonetidae)". Invertebrate Systematics. 35 (3): 332–349. doi:10.1071/IS20065. ISSN 1447-2600.
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^ Simon, E. (1890). Etudes arachnologiques.
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^ Bradley, Richard A., 'FAMILY LEPTONETIDAE • Midget Cave Spiders', Common Spiders of North America (Oakland, CA, 2012; online edn, California Scholarship Online, 23 May 2013), https://doi.org/10.1525/california/9780520274884.003.0032, accessed 27 Apr. 2023.
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^ a b "Family: Leptonetidae Simon, 1890". World Spider Catalog. Natural History Museum Bern. Retrieved 2022-04-05.
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^ "Family: Archoleptonetidae Gertsch, 1974". World Spider Catalog. Natural History Museum Bern. Retrieved 2022-04-05.
