Phyxelida

Phyxelida
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Subphylum:	Chelicerata
Class:	Arachnida
Order:	Araneae
Infraorder:	Araneomorphae
Family:	Phyxelididae
Genus:	Phyxelida; Simon, 1894
Type species
	P. makapanensis; Simon, 1894
Species
	17, see text
Synonyms
	Amphigyrioides Strand, 1913; Haemilla Simon, 1909;

Phyxelida is a genus of araneomorph spiders in the family Phyxelididae, and was first described by Eugène Louis Simon in 1894.

Description

Phyxelida are small to large spiders with total lengths ranging from 3 to 13 mm. The carapace is wider than long, with a thoracic fovea that is usually broad and deep but may be narrowed posteriorly or rectangular. The abdomen displays variable dorsal markings, while the venter shows longitudinal bands that range from faint to very broad and elaborate. The legs are long to elongate.

Species

As of September 2025^[update] it contains seventeen species, found in Africa, Israel, on Cyprus, and in Turkey:

Phyxelida abyssinica Griswold, 1990 – Ethiopia
Phyxelida anatolica Griswold, 1990 – Cyprus, Turkey, Israel
Phyxelida apwania Griswold, 1990 – Kenya, Tanzania
Phyxelida bifoveata (Strand, 1913) – East Africa
Phyxelida carcharata Griswold, 1990 – Kenya
Phyxelida crassibursa Griswold, 1990 – Kenya
Phyxelida eurygyna Griswold, 1990 – Malawi
Phyxelida irwini Griswold, 1990 – Kenya
Phyxelida jabalina Griswold, 1990 – Tanzania
Phyxelida kipia Griswold, 1990 – Tanzania
Phyxelida makapanensis Simon, 1894 – South Africa (type species)
Phyxelida mirabilis (L. Koch, 1875) – Ethiopia
Phyxelida nebulosa (Tullgren, 1910) – Kenya, Tanzania
Phyxelida pingoana Griswold, 1990 – Kenya
Phyxelida sindanoa Griswold, 1990 – Kenya
Phyxelida tanganensis (Simon & Fage, 1922) – Tanzania
Phyxelida umlima Griswold, 1990 – Tanzania

References

1 2 "Genus Phyxelida". World Spider Catalog. Retrieved 24 September 2025.
1 2 Lehtinen, P. T. (1967). "Classification of the cribellate spiders and some allied families, with notes on the evolution of the suborder Araneomorpha". Annales Zoologici Fennici. 4: 213.
↑ Simon, E. (1894). "Note sur les arthropodes cavernicoles du Transvaal". Annales de la Société Entomologique de France. 63: 63–67.
↑ Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S.; Haddad, C.R.; Foord, S.H.; Lotz, L.N. (2021). The Phyxelididae of South Africa. Version 1. South African National Survey of Arachnida Photo Identification Guide. p. 19. doi:10.5281/zenodo.6813843. Retrieved 24 September 2025. This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.

[wsc-1] 1 2 "Genus Phyxelida". World Spider Catalog. Retrieved 24 September 2025.

[Leht1967-2] 1 2 Lehtinen, P. T. (1967). "Classification of the cribellate spiders and some allied families, with notes on the evolution of the suborder Araneomorpha". Annales Zoologici Fennici. 4: 213.

[Simo1894-3] Simon, E. (1894). "Note sur les arthropodes cavernicoles du Transvaal". Annales de la Société Entomologique de France. 63: 63–67.

[dippenaar2021-4] Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S.; Haddad, C.R.; Foord, S.H.; Lotz, L.N. (2021). The Phyxelididae of South Africa. Version 1. South African National Survey of Arachnida Photo Identification Guide. p. 19. doi:10.5281/zenodo.6813843. Retrieved 24 September 2025. This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.