Selenops
Encyclopedia
Selenops is a spider genus that is found in many deserts of the world. It is very hard to distinguish the 115 species.
S. australiensis is found on or under dry bark in Australia
. The female reaches 9mm, the male 7mm. It looks superficially like a huntsman spider
.
S. radiatus has proved to be an effective controlling agent of the potato tuber moth in South Africa
.
, and Greek -ops "eye", because of the moon-like form of the eyes.
S. australiensis is found on or under dry bark in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. The female reaches 9mm, the male 7mm. It looks superficially like a huntsman spider
Huntsman spider
Sparassidae are a family of spiders known as Huntsman spiders because of their speed and mode of hunting. They also are called giant crab spiders, because of their size and appearance. Larger species sometimes are referred to as wood spiders, because of their preference for woody places...
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S. radiatus has proved to be an effective controlling agent of the potato tuber moth in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
.
Name
Named after the moon goddess SeleneSelene
In Greek mythology, Selene was an archaic lunar deity and the daughter of the Titans Hyperion and Theia. In Roman mythology, the moon goddess is called Luna, Latin for "moon"....
, and Greek -ops "eye", because of the moon-like form of the eyes.
Selected species
- Selenops australiensis
- Selenops aztecus Valdez-Mondragon, 2010
- Selenops galapagoensis
- Selenops muehlmannorum Jager & Praxaysombath, 2011
- Selenops nesophilus
- Selenops radiatus