Patu (spider)

Patu
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Subphylum:	Chelicerata
Class:	Arachnida
Order:	Araneae
Infraorder:	Araneomorphae
Family:	Symphytognathidae
Genus:	Patu Marples, 1951 [1]
Type species
P. vitiensis Marples, 1951
Species
18, see text

Patu is a genus of dwarf orb-weavers that was first described by Brian John Marples in 1951. ^[2] Two candidates for the "smallest species of spider", are in this genus, Patu digua ^[3] and Patu marplesi . ^[4]

Species

Spiders in this genus are found in Asia, Oceania, on the Seychelles, and in Colombia. ^[1]

Species

As of January 2026 ^[update] , this genus includes eighteen species: ^[1]

• Patu catba S. Q. Li & Lin, 2021 – Vietnam
• Patu dakou S. Q. Li & Lin, 2021 – China
• Patu damtao S. Q. Li & Lin, 2021 – Vietnam
• Patu digua Forster & Platnick, 1977 – Colombia
• Patu eberhardi Forster & Platnick, 1977 – Colombia
• Patu jiangzhou S. Q. Li & Lin, 2021 – China
• Patu jidanweishi Miller, Griswold & Yin, 2009 – China
• Patu marplesi Forster, 1959 – Samoa
• Patu nagarat S. Q. Li & Lin, 2021 – Thailand
• Patu nigeri Lin & Li, 2009 – China
• Patu putao S. Q. Li & Lin, 2021 – Myanmar
• Patu qiqi Miller, Griswold & Yin, 2009 – China
• Patu saladito Forster & Platnick, 1977 – Colombia
• Patu samoensis Marples, 1951 – Samoa
• Patu silho Saaristo, 1996 – Seychelles
• Patu vitiensis Marples, 1951 – Fiji
• Patu woodwardi Forster, 1959 – New Guinea
• Patu xiaoxiao Miller, Griswold & Yin, 2009 – China

References

1. "Gen. Marples, 1951". World Spider Catalog. doi:10.24436/2 . Retrieved 2026-01-25.
2. Marples, B. J. (1951). "Pacific symphytognathid spiders". Pacific Science. 5: 47–51.
3. Shear, William A. (1986). Spiders--webs, Behavior, and Evolution . Stanford University Press. pp.  425–. ISBN   978-0-8047-1203-3.
4. "Smallest spider". Guinness World Records. Retrieved 2017-07-06.