Box kite spiders (''Isoxya'') is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

Afrotropical The Afrotropical realm is one of Earth's eight biogeographic realms. It includes Africa south of the Sahara Desert, the majority of the Arabian Peninsula, the island of Madagascar, southern Iran and extreme southwestern Pakistan, and the island ...

orb-weaver spiders first described by

Eugène Simon Eugène Louis Simon (; 30 April 1848 – 17 November 1924) was a French naturalist who worked particularly on insects and spiders, but also on birds and plants. He is by far the most prolific spider taxonomist in history, describing over 4, ...

in 1885. Like the

spiny orb-weaver ''Gasteracantha'' is a genus of orb-weaver spiders first named by Carl Jakob Sundevall in 1833. Species of the genus are known as spiny-backed orb-weavers, spiny orb-weavers, or spiny spiders. The females of most species are brightly colored wi ...

s they have six prominent (but short) spines on their

abdomen The abdomen (colloquially called the belly, tummy, midriff, tucky or stomach) is the part of the body between the thorax (chest) and pelvis, in humans and in other vertebrates. The abdomen is the front part of the abdominal segment of the torso. ...

. They are small spiders, measuring across. They have a sclerotised (or porcelain-like) abdomen which is typical of the Gastricanthinae.

Species

it contains sixteen species: *'' Isoxya basilewskyi'' Benoit & Emerit, 1975 – Rwanda, Congo *'' Isoxya cicatricosa'' (C. L. Koch, 1844) – Central, East, Southern Africa, Yemen *'' Isoxya cowani'' (

Butler A butler is a person who works in a house serving and is a domestic worker in a large household. In great houses, the household is sometimes divided into departments with the butler in charge of the dining room, wine cellar, and pantry. Some a ...

, 1883) – Madagascar *'' Isoxya mahafalensis'' Emerit, 1974 – Madagascar *'' Isoxya milloti'' Emerit, 1974 – Madagascar *''

Isoxya mossamedensis Box kite spiders (''Isoxya'') is a genus of Afrotropical orb-weaver spiders first described by Eugène Simon in 1885. Like the spiny orb-weavers they have six prominent (but short) spines on their abdomen. They are small spiders, measuring acro ...

'' Benoit, 1962 – Angola *'' Isoxya mucronata'' ( Walckenaer, 1841) – Central, Southern Africa *'' Isoxya nigromutica'' ( Caporiacco, 1939) – East Africa *'' Isoxya penizoides'' Simon, 1887 – West, Central, East Africa *''

Isoxya reuteri Box kite spiders (''Isoxya'') is a genus of Afrotropical orb-weaver spiders first described by Eugène Simon in 1885. Like the spiny orb-weavers they have six prominent (but short) spines on their abdomen. They are small spiders, measuring acro ...

'' (Lenz, 1886) – Madagascar *'' Isoxya semiflava'' Simon, 1887 – West, Central Africa *'' Isoxya somalica'' (Caporiacco, 1940) – Somalia *'' Isoxya stuhlmanni'' (Bösenberg & Lenz, 1895) – Central, East, Southern Africa *''

Isoxya tabulata Box kite spiders (''Isoxya'') is a genus of Afrotropical orb-weaver spiders first described by Eugène Simon in 1885. Like the spiny orb-weavers they have six prominent (but short) spines on their abdomen. They are small spiders, measuring acro ...

'' ( Thorell, 1859) – Central, East, Southern Africa *'' Isoxya testudinaria'' (Simon, 1901) – West, Central, East Africa *''

Isoxya yatesi Box kite spiders (''Isoxya'') is a genus of Afrotropical orb-weaver spiders first described by Eugène Simon in 1885. Like the spiny orb-weavers they have six prominent (but short) spines on their abdomen. They are small spiders, measuring acro ...

'' Emerit, 1973 – South Africa

References

External links

Araneidae Spiders of Africa Taxa named by Eugène Simon {{Araneidae-stub