Cosmophasis

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Cosmophasis
Cosmophasis baehrae 8396.jpg
Cosmophasis baehrae
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Infraorder: Araneomorphae
Family: Salticidae
Subfamily: Salticinae
Tribe: Chrysillini
Genus: Cosmophasis
Simon, 1901
Type species
Plexippus thalassinus [1]
Species

See text.

Cosmophasis is a genus of spiders in the family Salticidae (jumping spiders). They are predominantly Southeast Asian, [2] while some species occur in Africa and Australia. Although most species more or less mimic ants, there are also colorful species [3] that follow a different strategy.

Contents

C. bitaeniata uses chemical mimicry to be accepted by the aggressive weaver ant species Oecophylla smaragdina . [4]

One species, said to be not a particularly good ant mimic, was observed living near and preying on ants. According to (Murphy & Murphy, 2000), "to watch the spider stalking and killing its prey is an arachnological spectacular". [5]

Description

Species in this genus are from 3.80 to 8.00 mm long. The cephalothoraxes are pear-shaped(for some males) or rectangular. [6]

Taxonomy

Cosmophasis sp. - Philippines.jpg
Cosmophasis sp.JPG
Cosmophasis sp. from the Philippines.

As of November 2021, the World Spider Catalog accepted the following species: [7]

In 2012, Marek Żabka and Julianne Waldock proposed 5 new species groups, it being the C.thalassina species group, C. bitaeniata species group, C. micarioides species group, C. tristriatus species group, and the C. rakata species group. [6] Formerly placed in this genus include: [7]

Related Research Articles

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<i>Neoscona</i> Genus of spiders

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<i>Olios</i> Genus of spiders

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<i>Oxyopes</i> Genus of spiders

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References

  1. Simon, Eugène (1892). Histoire naturelle des araignées. Smithsonian Libraries. Paris : Roret. pp. 553–554. doi:10.5962/bhl.title.51973. LCCN   agr08000137. OCLC   1046005797.
  2. Donovan, B.; Hill, D. E. (30 April 2017). "Report of Cosmophasis feeding on butterfly eggs in Queensland (Araneae: Salticidae: Chrysillini)". Peckhamia. 149 (1). eISSN   1944-8120. ISSN   2161-8526.
  3. Jerzy Proszynski: Cosmophasis
  4. Nelson, Ximena .J; Jackson, Robert R.; Edwards, G.B.; Barrion, Alberto T. (2006). "Living with the enemy: jumping spiders that mimic weaver ants" (PDF). The Journal of Arachnology. 33 (3): 813–819. doi:10.1636/S04-12.1. S2CID   52000089.
  5. Murphy, John; Murphy, Frances (1 January 2000). An Introduction to the Spiders of South East Asia. Kuala Lumpur: Malaysian Nature Society. ISBN   978-9839681178.
  6. 1 2 Żabka, Marek; Waldock, Julianne (2012). "Salticidae (Arachnida: Araneae) from oriental, Australian and Pacific Regions. Genus Cosmophasis Simon, 1901" (PDF). Annales Zoologici . 62 (1): 115–198. doi:10.3161/000345412X633694. eISSN   1734-1833. ISSN   0003-4541. S2CID   84374906.
  7. 1 2 "Gen. Cosmophasis Simon, 1901". World Spider Catalog. Natural History Museum Bern. Retrieved 2021-11-20.

Further reading