Herennia
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Herennia is a genus of spiders in the Nephilidae family with Australasian distribution. While two species have been known since the 19th century, nine new species were described in 2005. Spiders in this genus are sometimes called coin spiders.
While H. multipuncta is invasive and synanthropic, all other known species are endemic to islands.[1]
Like in the related genus Nephilengys, the much smaller males mutilate and sever their pedipalps, which are often found stuck in female genital openings. Three reasons for this have been proposed: the broken embolic conductors could function as mating plugs, severing the bulb after mutilation could help the male to avoid hemolymph leakage, or the severed male could protect his parental investment by fighting off rival males.[1]
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[edit] Name
Herennia Etruscilla was the the wife of Trajan Decius. There are coins bearing her image, which were probably the source for Thorell to name the genus. The non-scientific name coin spiders was proposed because of this fact.[1]
[edit] Species
- Herennia agnarssoni Kuntner, 2005 (Solomon Is.)
- Herennia deelemanae Kuntner, 2005 (Borneo)
- Herennia etruscilla Kuntner, 2005 (Java)
- Herennia gagamba Kuntner, 2005 (Philippines)
- Herennia jernej Kuntner, 2005 (Sumatra)
- Herennia milleri Kuntner, 2005 (New Guinea, New Britain)
- Herennia multipuncta (Doleschall, 1859) (India to China, Borneo, Sulawesi)
- Herennia oz Kuntner, 2005 (Northern Territory)
- Herennia papuana Thorell, 1881 (New Guinea)
- Herennia sonja Kuntner, 2005 (Kalimantan, Sulawesi)
- Herennia tone Kuntner, 2005 (Philippines)
[edit] References
- ^ a b c Kuntner, M. (2005). A revision of Herennia (Araneae:Nephilidae:Nephilinae), the Australasian 'coin spiders'. Invertebrate Systematics 19(5):391-436. Abstract DOI:10.1071/IS05024
