The Homalonychidae are a very small 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...

 family with three described species in one genus.

They do not build webs and are typically found under rocks or dead vegetation. At least the two North American species live in deserts, to which they are adapted by color and specialized setae which allow them to attach sand and fine soil to themselves. They also partially bury themselves.

Distribution

Two species are found in the southern USA and Mexico. H. theologus is mostly found west of the Colorado River

Colorado River

The Colorado River , is a river in the Southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, approximately long, draining a part of the arid regions on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains. The watershed of the Colorado River covers in parts of seven U.S. states and two Mexican states...

, H. selenopoides mostly to the east, with some populations in Death Valley

Death Valley

Death Valley is a desert valley located in Eastern California. Situated within the Mojave Desert, it features the lowest, driest, and hottest locations in North America. Badwater, a basin located in Death Valley, is the specific location of the lowest elevation in North America at 282 feet below...

 and near Mercury, Nevada

Mercury, Nevada

Mercury, Nevada is a town in Nye County, Nevada, United States, 5 miles north of U.S. Route 95 at a point 65 miles further northwest of Las Vegas. It is situated within the Nevada Test Site and was constructed by the Atomic Energy Commission to house and service the staff of the test site. The...

.

In 1991 a species from India was described; however, according to Platnick, this third species was misplaced in this genus.

Species

• Homalonychus raghavai Patel & Reddy, 1991 (India)
• Homalonychus selenopoides Marx, 1891 (USA, Mexico)
• Homalonychus theologus Chamberlin
  Ralph Vary Chamberlin
  Ralph Vary Chamberlin was an American zoologist from Salt Lake City, Utah. He received his PhD from Cornell University in 1904. He was a professor of zoology at Brigham Young University from 1908-1911, and at the University of Utah from 1925-1938....
  
  , 1924 (USA, Mexico)

External links

• Pictures of Homalonychus sp.