''Herennia'' is a genus of

spider Spiders ( order Araneae) are air-breathing arthropods that have eight legs, chelicerae with fangs generally able to inject venom, and spinnerets that extrude silk. They are the largest order of arachnids and rank seventh in total species ...

s in the

family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

Araneidae, found from India to northern Australia. It was formerly placed in a separate family, Nephilidae. While two species have been known since the 19th century, nine new species were described in 2005. Spiders in this genus are sometimes called coin spiders. While ''H. multipuncta'' is invasive and

synanthropic A synanthrope (from the Greek σύν ''syn'', "together with" + ἄνθρωπος ''anthropos'', "man") is a member of a species of wild animal or plant that lives near, and benefits from, an association with human beings and the somewhat artific ...

, all other known species are

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found else ...

to islands. Like in the related genus '' Nephilengys'', the much smaller males mutilate and sever their

pedipalp Pedipalps (commonly shortened to palps or palpi) are the second pair of appendages of chelicerates – a group of arthropods including spiders, scorpions, horseshoe crabs, and sea spiders. The pedipalps are lateral to the chelicerae ("jaws") an ...

s, which are often found stuck in the epigynum or female genital openings. It is suggested that they act as mating plugs to prevent other males from mating with the female and thereby ensure the paternity of offspring. The males cannot mate subsequently and such "eunuch" individuals continue to stay near the female.

Name

Herennia Etruscilla Herennia Cupressenia Etruscilla was an Augusta and later regent of the Roman Empire, married to Emperor Decius, and mother of Emperors Herennius Etruscus and Hostilian. She served as regent of the Roman Empire during the reign of her son Hostil ...

was the wife of

Trajan Decius Gaius Messius Quintus Traianus Decius ( 201 ADJune 251 AD), sometimes translated as Trajan Decius or Decius, was the emperor of the Roman Empire from 249 to 251. A distinguished politician during the reign of Philip the Arab, Decius was procla ...

. There are coins bearing her image, which were probably the source for Thorell to name the genus. The non-scientific name ''coin spiders'' was proposed because of this fact.

Species

, the

World Spider Catalog The World Spider Catalog (WSC) is an online searchable database concerned with spider taxonomy. It aims to list all accepted families, genera and species, as well as provide access to the related taxonomic literature. The WSC began as a series of ...

accepted the following species: * '' Herennia agnarssoni'' Kuntner, 2005 —

Solomon Islands Solomon Islands is an island country consisting of six major islands and over 900 smaller islands in Oceania, to the east of Papua New Guinea and north-west of Vanuatu. It has a land area of , and a population of approx. 700,000. Its capit ...

* '' Herennia deelemanae'' Kuntner, 2005 —

Borneo Borneo (; id, Kalimantan) is the third-largest island in the world and the largest in Asia. At the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia, in relation to major Indonesian islands, it is located north of Java, west of Sulawesi, and ea ...

* ''

Herennia etruscilla Herennia Cupressenia Etruscilla was an Augusta and later regent of the Roman Empire, married to Emperor Decius, and mother of Emperors Herennius Etruscus and Hostilian. She served as regent of the Roman Empire during the reign of her son Hostil ...

'' Kuntner, 2005 —

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 mos ...

* '' Herennia gagamba'' Kuntner, 2005 —

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 ...

* ''

Herennia jernej ''Herennia'' is a genus of spiders in the family Araneidae, found from India to northern Australia. It was formerly placed in a separate family, Nephilidae. While two species have been known since the 19th century, nine new species were describe ...

'' Kuntner, 2005 — Sumatra * ''

Herennia milleri ''Herennia'' is a genus of spiders in the family Araneidae, found from India to northern Australia. It was formerly placed in a separate family, Nephilidae. While two species have been known since the 19th century, nine new species were describe ...

'' Kuntner, 2005 —

New Guinea New Guinea (; Hiri Motu: ''Niu Gini''; id, Papua, or , historically ) is the world's second-largest island with an area of . Located in Oceania in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, the island is separated from Australia by the wide Torr ...

, New Britain * ''

Herennia multipuncta ''Herennia multipuncta'', commonly known as the ornamental tree trunk spider, is a species of spider in the family Araneidae native to Asia. It exhibits sexual dimorphism, the female being much larger than the male. It weaves a small web on the ...

'' (Doleschall, 1859) —

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 ...

to China, Borneo, Sulawesi * ''

Herennia oz ''Herennia'' is a genus of spiders in the family Araneidae, found from India to northern Australia. It was formerly placed in a separate family, Nephilidae. While two species have been known since the 19th century, nine new species were describe ...

'' Kuntner, 2005 —

Northern Territory The Northern Territory (commonly abbreviated as NT; formally the Northern Territory of Australia) is an Australian territory in the central and central northern regions of Australia. The Northern Territory shares its borders with Western Aust ...

* '' Herennia papuana'' Thorell, 1881 — New Guinea * '' Herennia sonja'' Kuntner, 2005 — Kalimantan, Sulawesi * '' Herennia tone'' Kuntner, 2005 —

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q2128488 Araneidae Araneomorphae genera Spiders of Asia Spiders of Oceania