''Parasteatoda'' 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 ...

of comb-footed spiders that was first described by

Allan Frost Archer Allan Frost Archer (January 22, 1908 – 1994, fl. 1940–1971), U.S. arachnologist, entomologist and malacologist. He was the curator of Arachnida at the Alabama Museum of Natural History, University, Alabama. Archer was active in the latter ha ...

in 1946. The name is a combination of the

Ancient Greek Ancient Greek includes the forms of the Greek language used in ancient Greece and the ancient world from around 1500 BC to 300 BC. It is often roughly divided into the following periods: Mycenaean Greek (), Dark Ages (), the Archaic peri ...

para- Para, or PARA, may refer to: Businesses and organizations * Paramount Global, traded as PARA on the Nasdaq stock exchange * Para Group, the former name of CT Corp * Para Rubber, now Skellerup, a New Zealand manufacturer * Para USA, formerly Par ...

" (), meaning "near" or "next to", and the theridiid genus ''

Steatoda The spider genus ''Steatoda'', in the family Theridiidae, includes about 120 recognized species, distributed around the world (including many cosmopolitan species which are found among human populations worldwide). One common name is cupboard spi ...

''. The

Japanese Japanese may refer to: * Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia * Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan * Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture ** Japanese diaspor ...

name for this genus is ''O-himogumo zoku'' ("thread silk spider family").

Description

''Parasteatoda'' species have a characteristic teardrop-shaped abdomen, with the anterior section much higher than the carapace and the spinnerets pointed downwards. The abdomen's colouration is highly variable, both between and often within species. They have slight sexual dimorphism; males are visually similar to females, although slightly smaller.

Species

It is mostly an

Old World The "Old World" is a term for Afro-Eurasia that originated in Europe , after Europeans became aware of the existence of the Americas. It is used to contrast the continents of Africa, Europe, and Asia, which were previously thought of by the ...

genus, with many species found in

Asia Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an area ...

and

New Guinea New Guinea (; Hiri Motu Hiri Motu, also known as Police Motu, Pidgin Motu, or just Hiri, is a language of Papua New Guinea, which is spoken in surrounding areas of Port Moresby (Capital of Papua New Guinea). It is a simplified version of ...

, though the distribution reaches into

Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...

. A few species originate from the

New World The term ''New World'' is often used to mean the majority of Earth's Western Hemisphere, specifically the Americas."America." ''The Oxford Companion to the English Language'' (). McArthur, Tom, ed., 1992. New York: Oxford University Press, p. 3 ...

, but many have been introduced, and they are becoming more widespread in the Americas and Europe. it contains forty-two species and two subspecies: *'' Parasteatoda aequipeiformis'' Yang, Irfan & Peng, 2019 –

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...

*'' Parasteatoda angulithorax'' (Bösenberg &

Strand Strand may refer to: Topography *The flat area of land bordering a body of water, a: ** Beach ** Shoreline *Strand swamp, a type of swamp habitat in Florida Places Africa *Strand, Western Cape, a seaside town in South Africa * Strand Street, ...

, 1906) –

Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...

(Far East), China,

Korea Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic o ...

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

*'' Parasteatoda asiatica'' (Bösenberg & Strand, 1906) – China, Korea, Japan *'' Parasteatoda camura'' (

Simon Simon may refer to: People * Simon (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the given name Simon * Simon (surname), including a list of people with the surname Simon * Eugène Simon, French naturalist and the genus ...

, 1877) –

Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

, New Guinea, Solomon Is. *''

Parasteatoda celsabdomina ''Parasteatoda'' is a genus of comb-footed spiders that was first described by Allan Frost Archer in 1946. The name is a combination of the Ancient Greek "para-" (), meaning "near" or "next to", and the theridiid genus ''Steatoda''. The Japanese ...

'' (Zhu, 1998) –

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

, China,

Thailand Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is bo ...

Laos Laos (, ''Lāo'' )), officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic ( Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ, French: République démocratique populaire lao), is a socialist ...

*''

Parasteatoda cingulata ''Parasteatoda'' is a genus of comb-footed spiders that was first described by Allan Frost Archer in 1946. The name is a combination of the Ancient Greek "para-" (), meaning "near" or "next to", and the theridiid genus ''Steatoda''. The Japanese ...

'' (Zhu, 1998) – China *'' Parasteatoda corrugata'' Yoshida, 2016 – Japan *'' Parasteatoda culicivora'' (Bösenberg & Strand, 1906) – China, Japan *'' Parasteatoda daliensis'' (Zhu, 1998) – China, Laos *'' Parasteatoda decorata'' (

L. Koch Ludwig Carl Christian Koch (8 November 1825 – 1 November 1908) was a German entomologist and arachnologist. He was born in Regensburg, Germany, and died in Nuremberg, Germany. He studied in Nuremberg, initially law, but then turned to medicin ...

, 1867) –

Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...

(Krakatau), New Guinea,

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

(

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...

) *'' Parasteatoda ducta'' (Zhu, 1998) – China *'' Parasteatoda galeiforma'' (Zhu, Zhang & Xu, 1991) – China *'' Parasteatoda gui'' (Zhu, 1998) – China *'' Parasteatoda hammeni'' ( Chrysanthus, 1963) – New Guinea *'' Parasteatoda hatsushibai'' Yoshida, 2009 – Japan *'' Parasteatoda jinghongensis'' (Zhu, 1998) – China *'' Parasteatoda kaindi'' (

Levi Levi (; ) was, according to the Book of Genesis, the third of the six sons of Jacob and Leah (Jacob's third son), and the founder of the Israelite Tribe of Levi (the Levites, including the Kohanim) and the great-grandfather of Aaron, Moses and M ...

, Lubin & Robinson, 1982) – New Guinea *'' Parasteatoda kentingensis'' Yoshida, 2015 –

Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the nort ...

*'' Parasteatoda kompirensis'' (Bösenberg & Strand, 1906) – India, China, Korea, Japan *'' Parasteatoda lanyuensis'' (Yoshida, Tso & Severinghaus, 2000) – Taiwan *'' Parasteatoda longiducta'' (Zhu, 1998) – China *'' Parasteatoda lunata'' (

Clerck De Clerck is a Dutch surname, particularly common in Flanders. In the province of West Flanders, the name is usually concatenated to Declerck. People with the surname include: * (1914–1974), Belgian politician and government minister *Carl Alex ...

, 1757) –

Turkey Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a list of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolia, Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with ...

Israel Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...

Caucasus The Caucasus () or Caucasia (), is a region between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, mainly comprising Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and parts of Southern Russia. The Caucasus Mountains, including the Greater Caucasus range, have historically ...

, Russia (

to Far East),

Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...

**'' Parasteatoda l. serrata'' (Franganillo, 1930) –

Cuba Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...

*'' Parasteatoda merapiensis'' Yoshida & Takasuka, 2011 – Indonesia (

Java Java (; id, Jawa, ; jv, ꦗꦮ; su, ) is one of the Greater Sunda Islands in Indonesia. It is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the south and the Java Sea to the north. With a population of 151.6 million people, Java is the world's List ...

) *'' Parasteatoda nigrovittata'' ( Keyserling, 1884) – Mexico to Argentina *'' Parasteatoda oxymaculata'' (Zhu, 1998) – China, India, Laos *'' Parasteatoda palmata'' Gao & Li, 2014 – China *'' Parasteatoda polygramma'' ( Kulczyński, 1911) – New Guinea *'' Parasteatoda quadrimaculata'' (Yoshida, Tso & Severinghaus, 2000) – Taiwan *'' Parasteatoda ryukyu'' (Yoshida, 2000) – Japan, Ryukyu Is., Taiwan *'' Parasteatoda simulans'' ( Thorell, 1875) – Europe, Turkey, Caucasus, Russia (Europe to South Siberia) *'' Parasteatoda songi'' (Zhu, 1998) – China *'' Parasteatoda subtabulata'' (Zhu, 1998) – China *'' Parasteatoda subvexa'' (Zhu, 1998) – China *'' Parasteatoda tabulata'' (Levi, 1980) – Tropical Asia. Introduced to North America, Europe,

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...

, Russia (Europe to Far East), Central Asia, China, Korea, Japan *'' Parasteatoda taiwanica'' Yoshida, 2015 – Taiwan *''

Parasteatoda tepidariorum ''Parasteatoda tepidariorum'', the common house spider or American house spider, is a spider species of the genus '' Parasteatoda'' with a cosmopolitan distribution. Common house spiders are synanthropic and live in and near human dwellings. The ...

'' (C. L. Koch, 1841) ( type) – South America. Introduced to Canada, USA,

Seychelles Seychelles (, ; ), officially the Republic of Seychelles (french: link=no, République des Seychelles; Creole: ''La Repiblik Sesel''), is an archipelagic state consisting of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean. Its capital and largest city, V ...

, Europe, Turkey, Caucasus, Russia (Europe to Far East),

Kazakhstan Kazakhstan, officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country located mainly in Central Asia and partly in Eastern Europe. It borders Russia to the north and west, China to the east, Kyrgyzstan to the southeast, Uzbeki ...

, Iran, Central Asia, China, Japan,

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

Hawaii Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only stat ...

**'' Parasteatoda t. australis'' (Thorell, 1895) –

Myanmar Myanmar, ; UK pronunciations: US pronunciations incl. . Note: Wikipedia's IPA conventions require indicating /r/ even in British English although only some British English speakers pronounce r at the end of syllables. As John C. Wells, Joh ...

*'' Parasteatoda transipora'' (Zhu & Zhang, 1992) – China *'' Parasteatoda triangula'' (Yoshida, 1993) –

Singapore Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, borde ...

, Indonesia (Java,

Bali Bali () is a province of Indonesia and the westernmost of the Lesser Sunda Islands. East of Java and west of Lombok, the province includes the island of Bali and a few smaller neighbouring islands, notably Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan, and Nu ...

) *'' Parasteatoda valoka'' (Chrysanthus, 1975) – New Guinea, Papua New Guinea (

New Britain New Britain ( tpi, Niu Briten) is the largest island in the Bismarck Archipelago, part of the Islands Region of Papua New Guinea. It is separated from New Guinea by a northwest corner of the Solomon Sea (or with an island hop of Umboi the Dam ...

) *'' Parasteatoda vervoorti'' (Chrysanthus, 1975) – New Guinea *'' Parasteatoda wangi'' Jin & Zhang, 2013 – China *''

Parasteatoda wau ''Parasteatoda wau'' (formerly ''Achaeareanea wau'') is a species of social spider that lives around Wau, Papua New Guinea Wau is a town in Papua New Guinea, in the province of Morobe. It has a population of approx 5,000 and is situated at an ...

'' (Levi, Lubin & Robinson, 1982) – New Guinea Formerly included: *''P. brookesiana'' (Barrion & Litsinger, 1995) (Transferred to ''

Nihonhimea ''Nihonhimea'' is a genus of spiders in the family Theridiidae Theridiidae, also known as the tangle-web spiders, cobweb spiders and comb-footed spiders, is a large family of Araneomorphae, araneomorph spiders first described by Carl Jakob Sund ...

'') *''P. campanulata'' (Chen, 1993) (Transferred to ''

Campanicola ''Campanicola'' is a genus of spiders in the family Theridiidae. It was first described in 2015 by Yoshida. Species it contains ten species, found only in Asia: * '' Campanicola anguilliformis'' Li & Liu, 2021 – China * '' Campanicola cam ...

'') *''P. ferrumequina'' (Bösenberg & Strand, 1906) (Transferred to ''Campanicola'') *''P. japonica'' (Bösenberg & Strand, 1906) (Transferred to ''Nihonhimea'') *''P. mundula'' (L. Koch, 1872) (Transferred to ''Nihonhimea'') *''P. mundula'' (Chrysanthus, 1963) (Transferred to ''Nihonhimea'') *''P. oculiprominens'' Saito, 1939 (Transferred to '' Keijiella'') *''P. tesselata'' (Keyserling, 1884) (Transferred to ''Nihonhimea'') In

synonymy A synonym is a word, morpheme, or phrase that means exactly or nearly the same as another word, morpheme, or phrase in a given language. For example, in the English language, the words ''begin'', ''start'', ''commence'', and ''initiate'' are all ...

: *''P. boqueronica'' (Kraus, 1955) = ''Parasteatoda nigrovittata'' (Keyserling, 1884) *''P. krausi'' (Chrysanthus, 1963) = ''Parasteatoda camura'' (Simon, 1877) *''P. lunata'' (Olivier, 1789) = ''Parasteatoda lunata'' (Clerck, 1757) *''P. mesax'' Levi, 1959 = ''Parasteatoda nigrovittata'' (Keyserling, 1884) *''P. nipponica'' (Yoshida, 1983) = ''Parasteatoda tabulata'' (Levi, 1980) *''P. obnubila'' (Keyserling, 1891) = ''Parasteatoda nigrovittata'' (Keyserling, 1884) *''P. pallida'' (Walckenaer, 1841) = ''Parasteatoda tepidariorum'' (C. L. Koch, 1841)

Description

Species

See also

References

Further reading