Herennia

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Herennia
Herennia.sp.new.guinea.-.tanikawa.jpg
H. cf. papuana, from New Guinea
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Infraorder: Araneomorphae
Family: Nephilidae
Genus: Herennia
Thorell, 1877 [1]
Species

See text

Diversity
11 species

Herennia is a genus of spiders in the family Nephilidae, found from India to northern Australia. [1] While two species have been known since the 19th century, nine new species were described in 2005. Spiders in this genus are sometimes called coin spiders.

Contents

While H. multipuncta is invasive and synanthropic, all other known species are endemic to islands. [2]

Like in the related genus Nephilengys , the much smaller males mutilate and sever their pedipalps, which are often found stuck in the epigynum or female genital openings. It is suggested that they act as mating plugs to prevent other males from mating with the female and thereby ensure the paternity of offspring. The males cannot mate subsequently and such "eunuch" individuals continue to stay near the female. [2] [3] [4]

Name

Herennia Etruscilla was the wife of Trajan Decius. There are coins bearing her image, which were probably the source for Thorell to name the genus. The non-scientific name coin spiders was proposed because of this fact. [2]

Species

H. multipuncta BarkSpiderKaveri1.jpg
H. multipuncta

As of August 2023, the World Spider Catalog accepted the following species: [1]

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Nephilingis dodo is an nephilid spider endemic to Mauritius. It was found to be separate from the related species Nephilingis borbonica in 2011.

<i>Herennia multipuncta</i> Species of spider

Herennia multipuncta, commonly known as the ornamental tree trunk spider, is a species of spider in the family Nephilidae native to Asia. It exhibits sexual dimorphism, the female being much larger than the male. It weaves a small web on the trunk of a tree or the wall of a building and is well camouflaged by its dappled colouration.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nephilidae</span> Spider family

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<i>Trichonephila</i> Genus of spiders

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References

  1. 1 2 3 "Gen. Herennia Thorell, 1877", World Spider Catalog, Natural History Museum Bern, retrieved 2023-08-23
  2. 1 2 3 Kuntner, M. (2005). "A revision of Herennia (Araneae:Nephilidae:Nephilinae), the Australasian 'coin spiders'" (PDF). Invertebrate Systematics. 19 (5): 391–436. doi:10.1071/IS05024.
  3. Kuntner, M; Kralj-Fiser, S; JM Schneider; D. Li (2009). "Mate plugging via genital mutilation in nephilid spiders: an evolutionary hypothesis" (PDF). Journal of Zoology. 277 (4): 257–266. doi:10.1111/j.1469-7998.2008.00533.x.
  4. Kuntner, M; I Agnarsson; M Gregoric (2009). "Nephilid spider eunuch phenomenon induced by female or rival male aggressiveness" (PDF). The Journal of Arachnology. 37 (3): 266–271. doi:10.1636/st08-67.1. S2CID   54037236.