Holarchaeidae
Encyclopedia
The Holarchaeidae are a spider
family with only two described species in one genus.
They are only up to 1.5mm in size and shiny black to beige in color. Together with the Uloboridae and the Mesothelae
, they are one of three spiders known to lack venom glands
.
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...
family with only two described species in one genus.
They are only up to 1.5mm in size and shiny black to beige in color. Together with the Uloboridae and the Mesothelae
Mesothelae
The Mesothelae are a suborder of spiders that includes the extinct families Arthrolycosidae and Arthromygalidae and the only extant family Liphistiidae....
, they are one of three spiders known to lack venom glands
Venom
Venom is the general term referring to any variety of toxins used by certain types of animals that inject it into their victims by the means of a bite or a sting...
.
Distribution
Holarchaeid spiders are known only from the forests of Tasmania and New Zealand, where they live in microhabitats with consistently high humidity.Species
Holarchaea Forster, 1955- Holarchaea globosa (Hickman, 1981) (TasmaniaTasmaniaTasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
) - Holarchaea novaeseelandiaeHolarchaea novaeseelandiaeHolarchaea novaeseelandiae is one of only two described species in the genus Holarchaea and is endemic to New Zealand.-Description:This spider is very small, less than 1.5 millimetres long. It is shiny black, brown, olive or buff in colour...
(Forster, 1949) (New ZealandNew ZealandNew Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
)
External links
- Holarchaeid Spiders (Detailed description, with images of preserved specimens)