| Epiceraticelus | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Araneomorphae |
| Family: | Linyphiidae |
| Genus: | Epiceraticelus Crosby & Bishop, 1931 |
Epiceraticelus is a genus of North American dwarf spiders containing two species: Epiceraticelus fluvialis and Epiceraticelus mandyae. The first described species in the genus, E. fluvialis, was first described by C. R. Crosby & S. C. Bishop in 1931, [1] and has only been found in the Midwestern and Eastern United States. The second species, E. mandyae, was described in 2019 by M. L. Draney et al. [2] and occurs in the Southeastern United States from Eastern New Jersey south to Georgia and west to Louisiana. The male of E. mandyae has a curved proboscis that extends from below the eyes. Epiceraticelus mandyae was named after the late arachnologist, Amanda Howe, in honor of her contributions to the North American arachnology community. [3]