Phyxelididae Lehtinen, 1967

Griswold, Charles E., 2022, The Lace Web Spider Genus Vytfutia Deeleman-Reinhold (Araneae, Phyxelididae) in the Indo-Pacific Region, Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 67 (14), pp. 329-355 : 331-332

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.11513175

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.11513013

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03B48798-4B6A-FFBF-2892-949FE09AF4B9

treatment provided by

Felipe

scientific name

Phyxelididae Lehtinen, 1967
status

 

Phyxelididae Lehtinen, 1967 View in CoL

Amaurobiidae View in CoL Phyxelidinae Lehtinen, 1967: 328. Griswold, 1990. Elevated from subfamily of Amaurobiidae View in CoL to family and placed as sister group of Titanoecidae View in CoL by Griswold et al., 1999: 59. Discussion in Griswold et al., 2005: 35.

Diagnosis: Entelegyne, cribellate spiders with thorn-like setae located probasally on both the female and male palpal femora ( Figs. 9 View FIGURES , 53, 54 View FIGURES ), a calamistrum that originates medially on the female metatarsus IV ( Figs. 8 View FIGURES , 50 View FIGURES ), PMS paracribellar spigots that encircle the spinneret margin anteriorly and that are crowded together such that the bases are laterally flattened ( Griswold et al., 2005, fig. 46C) and male metatarsus I modified with apparent clasping structures ( Figs. 27, 28 View FIGURES , 56–61 View FIGURES ).

Synapomophies: Synapomorphies for the family implied by the phylogenetic analysis of Griswold, Ramírez, Coddington and Platnick (2005) were thorn-like setae located probasally on both the female and male palpal femora, a calamistrum that originates medially on the female metatarsus IV, PMS paracribellar spigots that encircle the spinneret margin anteriorly and that are crowded together such that the bases are laterally flattened, and male metatarsus I modified with apparent clasping structures. In their analysis ( Griswold et al., 2005), further synapomorphies united the tribes Phyxelidini and Vidoleini: a bilaterally divided chilum and branched median tracheae. Other potential synapomorphies uniting Phyxelidini and Vidoleini include epiandrous spigots separated into two bunches (Griswold et el., 2005, figs. 160A, B) and a conspicuous, enlarged, dark seta arising laterally from the tip of the PLS ( Fig. 14 View FIGURES ). Vytfutia have an entire chilum ( Fig. 4 View FIGURES ) and lack epiandrous spigots and also lack enlarged, dark seta arising laterally from the tip of the PLS ( Figs. 12, 13 View FIGURES ).

Description: ( Phyxelididae ) Eight eyes in two nearly straight rows ( Figs. 1-4 View FIGURES , 26 View FIGURES , 34 View FIGURES ), canoeshaped tapeta ( Fig. 2 View FIGURES ), chilum entire ( Vytfutiini , Fig. 4 View FIGURES ) or divided (Phyxelidini, Vidoleini); endite with apical serrula; sternum shield-shaped, posteriorly blunt to pointed ( Figs. 21 View FIGURES , 29 View FIGURES , 32 View FIGURES ), labium free ( Figs. 29 View FIGURES , 33 View FIGURES ); tarsal trichobothria absent, with only a single, subapical trichobothrium on metatarsi, multiple dorsal trichobothria on tibiae, trichobothria with transverse ridges, tarsal organ capsulate with round orifice; setae plumose ( Figs. 52, 53, 55 View FIGURES ), rarely ( Malaika ) also with feathery scales; palpal femora of both sexes with probasal thorns comprising enlarged setal bases and/or thickened setae ( Figs. 9 View FIGURES , 53, 54 View FIGURES ); femora to metatarsi of legs with spines ( Figs. 10, 11 View FIGURES ) in most species ( Vytfutia halandrefana sp. nov. have reduced spination); trochanters shorter than coxae ( Figs. 21 View FIGURES ), trochanters unnotched or with very weak concavity ( Figs. 5, 6 View FIGURES ), autospasy at coxa – trochanter joint; males of most species with metatarsus I modified ( Figs. 27, 28 View FIGURES , 56–61 View FIGURES ), median concavity typically retrolateral in African and Eurasian genera, but prolateral in Malagasy clade ( Ambohima , Manampoka and Rahavavy ), only leg I modified in most genera, legs I and II modified in Ambohima and Manampoka ; leg tarsi with three claws, serrate accessory setae, claw tufts and scopulae absent ( Figs. 52, 55 View FIGURES ); female palp with toothed claw ( Fig. 9 View FIGURES ); metatarsi III and IV apical preening combs present (Vidoleini) or absent (Phyxelidini, Vytfutiini ); calamistrum linear, originating near middle of metatarsus IV ( Figs. 8 View FIGURES , 50 View FIGURES ), calamistral setae with multiple rows of teeth or smooth ( Fig. 51 View FIGURES ); lateral tracheae simple, medians simple ( Vytfutiini , some Phyxelidini) or with few to many branches (Phyxelidini, Vidoleini); pedicel with lorum transversely divided ( Fig. 7 View FIGURES ), epiandrous spigots grouped into two lateral bunches (Phyxelidini, Vidoleini) or absent ( Vytfutiini ); cribellum divided (Figs. 1213) with two fields of uniformly distributed strobilate cribellate spigots; spinnerets described in Griswold et al., 2005 (figs. 46-50) female ALS with one ( Vytfutiini ) or two (Phxelidini and Vidoliini) MAP spigots at the inner edge and field PI spigots with round base margins, these interspersed with tartipores; female PMS with numerous (12—30) PC spigots encircling anterior margin, PC spigot bases elongate, pressed together and flattened, each PC spigot surmounted by a single strobilate shaft, spigot cuticle ridged; one large mAP spigot with nubbin and tartipore posteriad to this, posteriorly several AC and one to four CY spigots; male PMS with PC spigots replaced by encircling row of nubbins, large median tartipore and nubbin that replaces mAP spigot; female PLS with domed apical segment, with stout, curved seta apicolaterally (Phxelidini and Vidoleini), absent from Vytfutiini ; with apical MS spigot, MS flanking PC or AC spigots present or absent, field of several AC and 2 or more mesal CY spigots; males lack CY spigots, MS spigot replaced by large nubbin; anal tubercle small, simple, with slender setae ( Fig. 13 View FIGURES ); male palpal tibia with dorsoapical process (D or DTA) ( Figs. 16 View FIGURES , 38 View FIGURES , 47 View FIGURES ), sclerotized (Phyxelidini, Vytfutiini ) or partly sclerotized and partly hyaline (Vidoleini), additional RTA present in Vytfutia ( Figs. 17 View FIGURES , 37 View FIGURES , 46 View FIGURES ); cymbium without trichobothria or chemosensory scopulae; male palpal bulbs diverse, Vytfutiini and Phyxelidini with conductor (C) and median apophysis (MA), the latter lacking in Ambohima, Vidoleini with three to five conical tegular processes of dubious homology; female epigyna simple, without teeth, with median ( ML) and lateral (LL) lobes separate or fused ( Vytfutiini , Figs. 18 View FIGURES , 23 View FIGURES , 24 View FIGURES , 39 View FIGURES , 41 View FIGURES , 48 View FIGURES ); vulva entelegyne, of various conformations, fertilization ducts ( FD) located posterioriorly ( Fig. 19 View FIGURES ); webs cribellate, may be substrate limited and radiate from retreat ( Griswold et al., 2005, figs. 202 A, B, E, F), or form aerial sheets ( Griswold, Wood and Carmichael, 2012, fig. 2 A), spiders walk on or hang beneath webs ( Griswold, Wood and Carmichael, 2012, figs 2 B, 5), cribellate silk carding type II form (carding leg braced with mobile leg IV), at least Phyxelidini wrap prey after bite with slow alternating movements of legs IV; cribellate band (studied in Phyxelida ) entire, cribellar fibrils cylindrical with nodules, axial fibers and reserve warp present ( Griswold et al., 2005, figs. 121A–C).

PMS

Peabody Essex Museum

PI

Paleontological Institute

AC

Amherst College, Beneski Museum of Natural History

CY

Centre des Yersinia

ML

Musee de Lectoure

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Arachnida

Order

Araneae

Family

Phyxelididae

Loc

Phyxelididae Lehtinen, 1967

Griswold, Charles E. 2022
2022
Loc

Titanoecidae

GRISWOLD, C. E. & RAMIREZ, M. J. & CODDINGTON, J. A. & AND PLATNICK, N. I. 2005: 35
2005
Loc

Amaurobiidae

LEHTINEN, P. T. 1967: 328
1967
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