Intertidal spider
Encyclopedia
The intertidal spiders (family Desidae) live in a very unusual location — between the tide
s. Once thought to be limited to the Southern Hemisphere
, members of this family in the genus Paratheuma were discovered in northern Sonora
and the Florida Keys
during the last half of the 20th Century. The family has been reevaluated in recent years and now includes inland genera and species as well. Members of the genus
Paratheuma commonly live in barnacle
shells, which they seal up with silk. This allows them to maintain an air bubble during high tide. These intertidal spiders feed on various small arthropod
s that live in the intertidal zone.
Tide
Tides are the rise and fall of sea levels caused by the combined effects of the gravitational forces exerted by the moon and the sun and the rotation of the Earth....
s. Once thought to be limited to the Southern Hemisphere
Southern Hemisphere
The Southern Hemisphere is the part of Earth that lies south of the equator. The word hemisphere literally means 'half ball' or "half sphere"...
, members of this family in the genus Paratheuma were discovered in northern Sonora
Sonora
Sonora officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Sonora is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into 72 municipalities; the capital city is Hermosillo....
and the Florida Keys
Florida Keys
The Florida Keys are a coral archipelago in southeast United States. They begin at the southeastern tip of the Florida peninsula, about south of Miami, and extend in a gentle arc south-southwest and then westward to Key West, the westernmost of the inhabited islands, and on to the uninhabited Dry...
during the last half of the 20th Century. The family has been reevaluated in recent years and now includes inland genera and species as well. Members of the genus
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...
Paratheuma commonly live in barnacle
Barnacle
A barnacle is a type of arthropod belonging to infraclass Cirripedia in the subphylum Crustacea, and is hence related to crabs and lobsters. Barnacles are exclusively marine, and tend to live in shallow and tidal waters, typically in erosive settings. They are sessile suspension feeders, and have...
shells, which they seal up with silk. This allows them to maintain an air bubble during high tide. These intertidal spiders feed on various small arthropod
Arthropod
An arthropod is an invertebrate animal having an exoskeleton , a segmented body, and jointed appendages. Arthropods are members of the phylum Arthropoda , and include the insects, arachnids, crustaceans, and others...
s that live in the intertidal zone.
Genera
- BadumnaBadumnaBadumna is a genus of spiders from Australasia.-Species:* Badumna arguta * Badumna bimetallica * Badumna blochmanni...
Thorell, 1890 (Australasia, USA, Paraguay) - Canala Gray, 1992 (New Caledonia)
- Cicirra SimonEugène SimonEugène Simon was a French arachnologist. His many taxonomic contributions include categorizing and naming many spiders, as well as creating genera such as Anelosimus, Psellocoptus and Phlogius....
, 1886 (Tasmania) - Colcarteria Gray, 1992 (Australia)
- Desis WalckenaerCharles Athanase WalckenaerBaron Charles Athanase Walckenaer was a French civil servant and scientist.-Biography:Walckenaer was born in Paris and studied at the universities of Oxford and Glasgow. In 1793 he was appointed head of the military transports in the Pyrenees, after which he pursued technical studies at the École...
, 1837 (Africa, Oceania, Australiaasia, Galapagos) - Epimecinus Simon, 1908 (Australia, New Caledonia)
- Forsterina Lehtinen, 1967 (Australia, New Caledonia)
- Gasparia Marples, 1956 (New Zealand)
- Gohia Dalmas, 1917 (New Zealand)
- Goyenia ForsterRaymond Robert ForsterRaymond Robert Forster was a spider expert.He wrote his first paper on spiders at the age of 17. He studied at Victoria University...
, 1970 (New Zealand) - Hapona Forster, 1970 (New Zealand)
- Helsonia Forster, 1970 (New Zealand)
- Hulua Forster & Wilton, 1973 (New Zealand)
- Laestrygones Urquhart, 1894 (New Zealand, Tasmania)
- Lamina ForsterRaymond Robert ForsterRaymond Robert Forster was a spider expert.He wrote his first paper on spiders at the age of 17. He studied at Victoria University...
, 1970 (New Zealand) - Lathyarcha Simon, 1908 (Australia)
- Mangareia Forster, 1970 (New Zealand)
- Matachia Dalmas, 1917 (New Zealand)
- Mesudus Özdikmen, 2007 (New Zealand) - replacement name for Manawa Forster, 1970)
- MyroMyroMyro may refer to* The 3rd century BC Greek poet Moero* The spider genus Myro...
O. P-CambridgeOctavius Pickard-CambridgeThe Reverend Octavius Pickard-Cambridge FRS was an English clergyman and zoologist.Pickard-Cambridge was born in Bloxworth rectory, Dorset, the fifth son of Revd George Pickard, rector and squire of Bloxworth: the family changed their name to Pickard-Cambridge in 1848...
, 1876 (Tasmania, New Zealand) - Namandia Lehtinen, 1967 (Tasmania)
- Neomyro Forster & Wilton, 1973 (New Zealand)
- Notomatachia Forster, 1970 (New Zealand)
- Nuisiana Forster & Wilton, 1973 (New Zealand)
- Ommatauxesis Simon, 1903 (Tasmania)
- Otagoa Forster, 1970 (New Zealand)
- Panoa Forster, 1970 (New Zealand)
- Paramatachia Dalmas, 1918 (Australia)
- Paratheuma Bryant, 1940 (USA, Oceania, Korea, Japan)
- PhryganoporusPhryganoporusPhryganoporus is a spider genus in the family Desidae. Its five species only occur in Australia and Tasmania, with one species also occurring on Norfolk Island, south of New Caledonia.The genus is related to the "black house spiders" ....
Simon, 1908 (Australia) - Pitonga Davies, 1984 (Australia)
- Porteria Simon, 1904 (Chile)
- Rapua Forster, 1970 (New Zealand)
- Syrorisa Simon, 1908 (New Caledonia, Australia)
- Taurongia Hogg, 1901 (Australia)
- Toxops Hickman, 1940 (Tasmania)
- Toxopsoides Forster & Wilton, 1973 (New Zealand)
- Tuakana Forster, 1970 (New Zealand)