''Phryganoporus'' 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 ...

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 ...

n intertidal spiders that was 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 1908. Its five species only occur in

and

Tasmania ) , nickname = , image_map = Tasmania in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Tasmania in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdi ...

, with one species also occurring on

Norfolk Island Norfolk Island (, ; Norfuk: ''Norf'k Ailen'') is an external territory of Australia located in the Pacific Ocean between New Zealand and New Caledonia, directly east of Australia's Evans Head and about from Lord Howe Island. Together with ...

, south of

New Caledonia ) , anthem = "" , image_map = New Caledonia on the globe (small islands magnified) (Polynesia centered).svg , map_alt = Location of New Caledonia , map_caption = Location of New Caledonia , mapsize = 290px , subdivision_type = Sovereign st ...

. The name is derived from Greek ''phryganon'' ("dry stick") and ''poros'' ("hole"), referring to the web that is often built on dry shrubs or low vegetation with a hole as an entrance. Though they are typically solitary, '' P. candidus'' is also known for its communal behavior, building "nests" made of branches and leaves knitted together with silk, creating tunnels for the spiders to live. Most of these webs are built late in the summer by individual females working separately in the construction and cleaning of their individual webs. Their behavior is likely due to

pheromone A pheromone () is a secreted or excreted chemical factor that triggers a social response in members of the same species. Pheromones are chemicals capable of acting like hormones outside the body of the secreting individual, to affect the behavio ...

mediated sibling tolerance, and isn't considered true cooperative behavior. As they mature, they grow less tolerant of each other and tend to disperse over the course of the summer. In the Riverina area of New South Wales, these nests have caused foliage matting, leaf fall and withering of limbs in fruit trees.

Species

it contains five species: *''

Phryganoporus candidus ''Phryganoporus candidus'', also known as the foliage web spider, is a small, Sociality, subsocial jumping spider endemic to Australia. On average, they are 6–10 mm long and are a mottled brown color, covered in silvery grey hair. They ty ...

'' (L. Koch, 1872) ( type) – Australia (mainland, Norfolk Is.) *''

Phryganoporus davidleei ''Phryganoporus'' is a genus of Australian intertidal spiders that was first described by Eugène Simon in 1908. Its five species only occur in Australia and Tasmania, with one species also occurring on Norfolk Island, south of New Caledonia. Th ...

'' Gray, 2002 – Australia (Western Australia, South Australia) *''

Phryganoporus melanopygus ''Phryganoporus'' is a genus of Australian intertidal spiders that was first described by Eugène Simon in 1908. Its five species only occur in Australia and Tasmania, with one species also occurring on Norfolk Island, south of New Caledonia. Th ...

'' Gray, 2002 – Australia (Western Australia) *''

Phryganoporus nigrinus ''Phryganoporus'' is a genus of Australian intertidal spiders that was first described by Eugène Simon in 1908. Its five species only occur in Australia and Tasmania, with one species also occurring on Norfolk Island, south of New Caledonia. Th ...

'' Simon, 1908 – Australia (Western Australia to Queensland) *''

Phryganoporus vandiemeni ''Phryganoporus'' is a genus of Australian intertidal spiders that was first described by Eugène Simon in 1908. Its five species only occur in Australia and Tasmania, with one species also occurring on Norfolk Island, south of New Caledonia. Th ...

'' (Gray, 1983) – Australia (Victoria, Tasmania)

References

Araneomorphae genera Desidae Spiders of Australia Taxa named by Eugène Simon {{Araneomorphae-stub