Purcelliana

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Purcelliana
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Infraorder: Araneomorphae
Family: Prodidomidae
Genus: Purcelliana
Cooke, 1964 [1]

Purcelliana is a genus of South African long-spinneret ground spiders. It was first described by J. A. L. Cooke in 1964, [2] and is only found in South Africa and Namibia. [1]

Contents

Description

Purcelliana are spiders with a total length of males 1.68–3.3 mm and females 1.92–3.76 mm. Carapace as wide as long, slightly narrow at cephalic region with fovea absent. Eight eyes with posterior eye row strongly procurved and anterior eye row approximately straight. Posterior median eyes and posterior lateral eyes irregular while anterior median eyes are dark. Chelicerae relatively small without boss or teeth but with long fang. Dorsal surface of paturon with clavate setae erect, resembling spines. Endites anteriorly convergent with few hairs on internal margin. Labium approximately as wide as long. Sternum longer than wide with anterior margin straight, rebordered anteriorly and laterally. Posterior region strongly protruding between coxae IV with numerous long and erect setae. Abdomen oval, longer than wide with dorsum without curved setae anteriorly. Six spinnerets present with anterior lateral spinnerets as long as wide and almost contiguous. Leg formula 1423 without spines except the ventral tarsus with clustered clavate setae resembling spines. Two smooth claws with dense claw tufts of tenent setae inserted in well-delimited plate. [3]

Species

As of September 2025 it contains four species: [1]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Gen. Purcelliana Cooke, 1964". World Spider Catalog. Natural History Museum Bern. doi:10.24436/2 . Retrieved 2025-09-24.
  2. Cooke, J. A. L. (1964). "A revisionary study of some spiders of the rare family Prodidomidae". Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London. 142: 257–305.
  3. Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S.; Haddad, C.R.; Foord, S.H.; Lotz, L.N. (2023). The Prodidomidae of South Africa. 1. South African National Survey of Arachnida Photo Identification Guide. pp. 1–42. doi:10.5281/zenodo.7515818 . Retrieved 24 September 2025. Creative Commons by small.svg  This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.