Coneweb spider
Encyclopedia
The coneweb spiders of the family Diguetidae are six-eyed haplogyne
(lacking hardened female genitalia, or epigyne
) spider
s that live in tangled space web
s. They fashion a cone-like central retreat in which they hide and lay egg
s. The family is small (three genera
and only 15 species) and is confined to the New World
, where it is usually found in deserts. Members of the genus Diguetia usually build their webs in shrubs or between cactus
pads. Although they have the same eye arrangement as the venomous recluse spider
s (family Sicariidae), none of these genera are known to be harmful to human
s.
The Diguetidae are sometimes considered a subfamily of the Plectreuridae.
Haplogynae
The Haplogynae are a series of araneomorph spiders.Unlike the Entelegynae, they lack hardened female genitalia .Most of the species within this group have six eyes, as opposed to most other spiders...
(lacking hardened female genitalia, or epigyne
Epigyne
The epigyne or epigynum is the external genital structure of female spiders. As the epigyne varies greatly in form in different species, even in closely related ones, it often provides the most distinctive characteristic for recognizing species...
) spider
Spider
Spiders are air-breathing arthropods that have eight legs, and chelicerae with fangs that inject venom. They are the largest order of arachnids and rank seventh in total species diversity among all other groups of organisms...
s that live in tangled space web
Spider web
A spider web, spiderweb, spider's web or cobweb is a device built by a spider out of proteinaceous spider silk extruded from its spinnerets....
s. They fashion a cone-like central retreat in which they hide and lay egg
Egg (biology)
An egg is an organic vessel in which an embryo first begins to develop. In most birds, reptiles, insects, molluscs, fish, and monotremes, an egg is the zygote, resulting from fertilization of the ovum, which is expelled from the body and permitted to develop outside the body until the developing...
s. The family is small (three genera
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
and only 15 species) and is confined to the New World
New World
The New World is one of the names used for the Western Hemisphere, specifically America and sometimes Oceania . The term originated in the late 15th century, when America had been recently discovered by European explorers, expanding the geographical horizon of the people of the European middle...
, where it is usually found in deserts. Members of the genus Diguetia usually build their webs in shrubs or between cactus
Cactus
A cactus is a member of the plant family Cactaceae. Their distinctive appearance is a result of adaptations to conserve water in dry and/or hot environments. In most species, the stem has evolved to become photosynthetic and succulent, while the leaves have evolved into spines...
pads. Although they have the same eye arrangement as the venomous recluse spider
Recluse spider
The recluse spiders or brown spiders , also known as fiddle-back, violin spiders or reapers, are a venomous genus of spiders known for their necrotic bite, which sometimes produces a characteristic set of symptoms known as Loxoscelism...
s (family Sicariidae), none of these genera are known to be harmful to human
Human
Humans are the only living species in the Homo genus...
s.
The Diguetidae are sometimes considered a subfamily of the Plectreuridae.
Diguetia (Simon, 1895)
- Diguetia albolineata (O. P.-Cambridge, 1895) — USA, Mexico
- Diguetia andersoni Gertsch, 1958 — USA
- Diguetia canitiesDiguetia canitiesDiguetia canities, commonly called the desert bush spider is a species of coneweb spider found in desert and semidesert habitats in the United States from California eastward to Oklahoma and Texas....
(McCook, 1889) — USA, Mexico- Diguetia canities dialectica Chamberlin, 1924 — Mexico
- Diguetia canities mulaiki Gertsch, 1958 — USA
- Diguetia catamarquensis (Mello-Leitão, 1941) — Argentina
- Diguetia imperiosa Gertsch & Mulaik, 1940 — USA, Mexico
- Diguetia mojavea Gertsch, 1958 — USA
- Diguetia propinqua (O. P.-Cambridge, 1896) — Mexico
- Diguetia signata Gertsch, 1958 — USA
- Diguetia stridulans Chamberlin, 1924 — Mexico
Segestrioides (Keyserling, 1883)
- Segestrioides badia (Simon, 1903) — Brazil
- Segestrioides bicolor Keyserling, 1883 — Peru
- Segestrioides copiapo Platnick, 1989 — Chile
- Segestrioides tofo Platnick, 1989 — Chile