Amusia (spider)
| Amusia | |
|---|---|
| female | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Araneomorphae |
| Family: | Gnaphosidae |
| Genus: | Amusia Tullgren, 1910[1] |
| Type species | |
| A. murina Tullgren, 1910
| |
| Species | |
| |
Amusia is a genus of African ground spiders that was first described by Albert Tullgren in 1910.[2] As of September 2025 it contains only two species, found in East and South Africa.[1]
Description
Spiders of the genus Amusia have a total length of 4-5.1 mm. The carapace is dull brown, darker towards the border, mottled towards the centre, and with a slightly darker V anterior to the striae. The posterior eye row is recurved or straight. The chelicerae have a serrated keel on the retromargin.[3]
The abdomen is light dusky brown, and the spinnerets have 2 fusules. The legs are similar in colour to the carapace. The metatarsi III and/or IV lack a preening comb although a preening brush may be present. The front metatarsi are considerably shorter than the tarsi.[3]
Males are similar in colour to females but are comparatively shorter and broader, with more conspicuous pubescence.[3]
Species
- Amusia cataracta Tucker, 1923 – South Africa
- Amusia murina Tullgren, 1910 – East Africa
References
- ^ a b Gloor, Daniel; Nentwig, Wolfgang; Blick, Theo; Kropf, Christian (2019). "Gen. Amusia Tullgren, 1910". World Spider Catalog Version 20.0. Natural History Museum Bern. doi:10.24436/2. Retrieved 2019-06-04.
- ^ Tullgren, A. (1910), "Araneae", Wissenschaftliche Ergebnisse der Schwedischen Zoologischen Expedition nach dem Kilimandjaro, dem Meru und den umgebenden Massaisteppen Deutsch-Ostafrikas 1905-1906 unter Leitung von Prof, doi:10.5962/bhl.title.6622
- ^ a b c Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S.; Haddad, C.R.; Foord, S.H.; Lotz, L.N. (2021). The Gnaphosidae of South Africa. part 1 (A-D). South African National Survey of Arachnida Photo Identification Guide. p. 8. doi:10.5281/zenodo.7197174. Retrieved 24 September 2025. This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.