Rhene flavigera

Last updated

Beige beetle jumper
Rhene flavigera 459637426.jpg
female from India
Rhene flavigera 268738146.jpg
male from THailand
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Infraorder: Araneomorphae
Family: Salticidae
Subfamily: Salticinae
Genus: Rhene
Species:
R. flavigera
Binomial name
Rhene flavigera
(C. L. Koch, 1846)
Synonyms
  • Rhanis flavigeraC. L. Koch, 1846
  • Rhene danieliTikader, 1973
  • Rhene indicaTikader, 1973
  • Rhene khandalaensisTikader, 1977
  • Zygoballus citriSadana, 1991
  • Rhene citri(Sadana, 1991)
  • Rhene sanghrakshitiGajbe, 2004

Rhene flavigera, commonly known as the beige beetle jumper or Zorro flat-head jumper, [1] is a species of jumping spider in the genus Rhene . It is widely distributed across Asia, from Pakistan to Indonesia and Taiwan. [2]

Contents

Taxonomy

The species was originally described as Rhanis flavigera by Carl Ludwig Koch in 1846. [2] The genus name Rhanis was later found to be preoccupied by a beetle genus described in 1834 [3] , so Tamerlan Thorell provided the replacement name Rhene in 1869. Rhene flavigera serves as the type species for the genus Rhene. [4]

In 2022, Caleb and colleagues conducted a comprehensive taxonomic revision that resulted in five species being synonymized with R. flavigera: Rhene citri, R. danieli, R. indica, R. khandalaensis, and R. sanghrakshiti. [5] This taxonomic consolidation was based on detailed morphological analysis of specimens from across South and Southeast Asia.

Distribution

R. flavigera has a broad distribution across Asia. [2] [6] The species has been recorded from Pakistan, India, China, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Indonesia (including Sumatra). [2] It is particularly well-documented from the Indian subcontinent, where several of its former synonyms were originally described. [5]

Habitat

R. flavigera is found in various habitats including gardens, agricultural areas, and forests. [7] The species has been observed in tea plantations in the Dooars region of West Bengal, India. [8] It constructs silk retreats by joining leaves together and emerges to forage for prey.

Description

R. flavigera is a medium-sized jumping spider, with females reaching approximately 7 mm in length. [9] The species exhibits sexual dimorphism typical of jumping spiders. The cephalothorax and legs are typically deep to light brown in coloration, while the abdomen shows variable coloration patterns. [10]

The species is characterized by its broad, flat head and thick front legs. [9] The abdomen and cephalothorax are covered with fine hairs and display brown coloration with white and black markings. The legs show distinctive black and pale white banding patterns. [9]

References

  1. "Rhene flavigera (C. L. Koch, 1846)". Malaysia Biodiversity Information System. Retrieved 31 August 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Rhene flavigera (C. L. Koch, 1846)". World Spider Catalog. Retrieved 31 August 2025.
  3. Thorell, T. (1869). "On European spiders. Review of the European genera of spiders, preceded by some observations on zoological nomenclature [first part]". Nova Acta Regiae Societatis Scientiarum Upsaliensis. 3. 7 (I, 5): 1–108.
  4. "Gen. Rhene Thorell, 1869". World Spider Catalog. Retrieved 31 August 2025.
  5. 1 2 Caleb, J.T.D.; Sanap, R.V.; Tripathi, R.; Sampathkumar, M.; Dharmara, J.; Packiam, S.M. (2022). "Taxonomic notes on some South and Southeast Asian members of the genus Rhene Thorell, 1869 (Aranei, Salticidae, Dendryphantini)". Zootaxa. 5125 (4): 389–407. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.5125.4.3.
  6. "Rhene flavigera". iNaturalist. Retrieved 31 August 2025.
  7. "A NEW SPECIES OF JUMPING SPIDER GENUS Rhene Thorell, 1869 (ARANEAE: SALTICIDAE) FROM BANGLADESH". ResearchGate. 2018.
  8. Roy, T.K.; Saha, S.; Raychaudhuri, D. (2016). "A treatise on the jumping spiders (Araneae: Salticidae) of tea ecosystem of Dooars, West Bengal, India". World Scientific News. 53 (1): 1–66.
  9. 1 2 3 "Rhene Jumping Spider (Rhene flavigera), Sumatra Indonesia". May 2012. Retrieved 31 August 2025.
  10. Tikader, B.K. (1973). "Studies on some jumping spiders from India (family: Salticidae)". Proceedings of the Indian Academy of Science. 78 (B): 68–72.