Oonopidae

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Goblin spiders
Temporal range: Albian–present
Tapinesthis inermis female D.jpg
Tapinesthis inermis , female
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Infraorder: Araneomorphae
Family: Oonopidae
Simon, 1890
Diversity
115 genera, 1874 species
Distribution.oonopidae.1.png

Oonopidae, also known as goblin spiders, is a family of spiders consisting of over 1,600 described species in about 113 genera worldwide, [1] with total species diversity estimated at 2000 to 2500 species. [2] The type genus of the family is OonopsKeyserling, 1835.

Contents

Goblin spiders are generally tiny, measuring about 1 to 3 millimeters. Some have scuta, hardened plates on their abdomens. Oonopids usually have six eyes, the anterior median eyes having been lost. However, four-eyed (Opopaea viamao), two-eyed (e.g. Coxapopha, Diblemma) and even completely eyeless species (e.g. Cousinea, the cave-dwelling Blanioonops) are also known. The family is permeated with unusual morphological traits, many of which are limited to males. Examples include heavily modified mouthparts (e.g. Coxapopha, Xyccarph), sternal pouches (sometimes alternatively called holsters; e.g. Grymeus) and extensions of the carapace (e.g. Ferchestina, Unicorn ). The male pedipalps are also often highly modified. The genus Opopaea, for example, exhibits an expanded palpal patella while male Ischnothyreus are characterized by completely sclerotized, pitch-black pedipalps. Members of the genus Orchestina are believed to be able to jump, as both sexes have greatly enlarged femora on the fourth leg pair.

Oonopidae are seldom seen by people as they are too small to be easily noticed. They are generally found in the leaf litter layer and under rocks, but they also constitute a significant component of the spider fauna living in the canopy of tropical rainforest. Three blind Afrotropical genera (Anophthalmoonops, Caecoonops, Termitoonops) are exclusively found in termite nests. A few species, such as the pantropical Heteroonops spinimanus and Triaeris stenaspis , are thought to be parthenogenetic as no males have yet been collected.

Fossil record

Oonopidae are frequently encountered as subfossils preserved in copals and as fossils preserved in amber. Oonopids even occur in more amber deposits than any other spider family, which may be accounted for by their widespread distribution, small size, and wandering behaviour, as amber appears to be biased towards trapping such spiders. In contrast, sedimentary fossils of Oonopidae are unknown.

Most fossil oonopids described from amber are assigned to the extant genus Orchestina. This genus was already widespread by the end of the Cretaceous, as indicated by specimens found in amber dating back over 100 million years.

Genera

As of April 2019, the World Spider Catalog accepts the following genera: [1]

Extinct genera

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<i>Unicorn</i> (spider) Genus of spiders

Unicorn ("one horn", in Latin) is a genus of goblin spiders from South America, containing seven species that occur predominantly in high elevation, semi-desert regions of Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina. Individuals are relatively large for goblin spiders, measuring up to 3.0 mm (0.12 in) in body length. The genus name refers to a characteristic pointed projection between the eyes and jaws of males. In at least one species, broken-off tips of the male pedipalps have been found within the genitalia of females, postulated as a means of sperm competition. Unicorn possesses several traits that suggest it is a relatively "primitive" member of the Oonopidae, and is classified with other similar, soft-bodied goblin spiders in the subfamily Sulsulinae.

Triaeris macrophthalmus is a species of spider from the family Oonopidae. It was described by Lucien Berland in 1914 and is endemic to Tanzania. In 2012, Norman I. Platnick and co-authors described the genus Triaeris as "an enigma wrapped around a mystery". They consider that most species assigned to the genus following Simon in 1890 and before 2012 do not belong to Triaeris, including T. macrophthalmus, which they suggest belongs to one of a group of related genera. As of April 2016, no alternative generic assignment has been accepted by the World Spider Catalog.

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Opopaea is a genus of goblin spiders of the family Oonopidae. The genus is one of the largest within the family, with 180 accepted species.

Orchestina is a spider genus in the family Oonopidae, first described by Eugène Simon in 1882.

<i>Anapistula</i> Genus of spiders

Anapistula is a genus of dwarf orb-weavers that was first described by Carl Eduard Adolph Gerstaecker in 1941.

Prodysderina is a genus of spiders in the family Oonopidae. It was first described in 2013 by Platnick et al.. As of 2017, it contains 9 species.

Stenoonops is a genus of spiders in the family Oonopidae. It was first described in 1892 by Simon. As of 2017, it contains 28 species.

Hexapopha is a genus of spiders in the family Oonopidae. It was first described in 2014 by Platnick, Berniker & Víquez.

Silhouettella is a genus of spiders in the family Oonopidae. It was first described in 1979 by Benoit. As of 2021, it contains 11 species.

Otiothops is a genus of palp-footed spiders that was first described by W. S. MacLeay in 1839.

Cinetomorpha is a genus of goblin spiders first described by Eugène Louis Simon in 1892. It is a senior synonym of Lucetia, and Yumates.

References

  1. 1 2 "Family: Oonopidae Simon, 1890". World Spider Catalog. Natural History Museum Bern. Retrieved 2019-04-22.
  2. ↑ Busschere, C.; Fannes, W.; Henrard, A.; Gaublomme, E.; Jocqué, R.; Baert, L. (2014). "Unravelling the goblin spiders puzzle: rDNA phylogeny of the family Oonopidae (Araneae)". Arthropod Systematics & Phylogeny. 72 (2): 177–192. doi: 10.3897/asp.72.e31884 .

Further reading

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