Tekellina, Levi, Herbert W., 1957

Levi, Herbert W., 1957, The North American spider genera Paratheridula, Tekellina, Pholcomma and Archerius (Araneae: Theridiidae), Transactions of the American Microscopical Society 76 (2), pp. 105-115 : 107

Tekellina , gen. nov.

Small theridiid spiders. Carapace as wide as long,highest in thoracic region. Both eye rows recurved when viewed from above. Lateral eyes touching each other. Height of clypeus about one and one-half diameters of anterior median eyes. Chelicerae as long as height of carapace in eye region, lacking teeth or denticles. Sternum as wide as long, broadly truncate between fourth coxae, which are separated by two diameters. Legs short; first legs longest, second, next in length, third, shortest. Small tubercle on retrolateral face of each patella. Fourth tarsus with comb. In only species known, abdomen much wider than long (Fig. 9). Two setae in colulus area. Lungs present, but no external indication of them.

Female genitalia with one pair of seminal receptacles. Palpus with median apophysis ( M in Fig. 8) and radix ( R). Cymbium ( Y), modified by having paracymbial hook on ectal side half way between tip and base of cymbium (Fig. 7). Hook functional, however, holding median apophysis in alveolus.

Tekellina differs from most theridiid genera in lacking teeth on the chelicerae. It differs from Mysmena in not having a large colulus, and in having a median apophysis and radix in the palpus. Tekellina differs from Pholcomma in the structure of the palpus.

The type species of Tekellina (fem.) is Tekellina archboldi , sp. nov.