''Callilepis'' is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

of ground spiders first described by

Niklas Westring Niklas Westring (13 November 1797, in Gothenburg – 28 January 1882) was a Swedish entomology, entomologist and arachnology, arachnologist. He started out with the intention to study medicine but this was frustrated by the death of his father. ...

in 1874. Some are found from

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, others from

Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...

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. They are most commonly found in dry areas, sandy roads and beaches.

Description

Individuals of this genus is easily distinguished from other

Gnaphosidae Ground spiders comprise Gnaphosidae, the seventh largest spider family with over 2,000 described species in over 100 genera distributed worldwide. There are 105 species known to central Europe, and common genera include '' Gnaphosa'', '' Drassode ...

by the single translucent

lamina Lamina may refer to: People * Saa Emerson Lamina, Sierra Leonean politician * Tamba Lamina, Sierra Leonean politician and diplomat Science and technology * Planar lamina, a two-dimensional planar closed surface with mass and density, in mathem ...

on the cheliceral retromargin, the short, angular endites and the flattened,

transverse Transverse may refer to: *Transverse engine, an engine in which the crankshaft is oriented side-to-side relative to the wheels of the vehicle *Transverse flute, a flute that is held horizontally * Transverse force (or ''Euler force''), the tangen ...

posterior

median The median of a set of numbers is the value separating the higher half from the lower half of a Sample (statistics), data sample, a statistical population, population, or a probability distribution. For a data set, it may be thought of as the “ ...

eyes. These eyes are probably not functional due to a series of ridges. Species range in size from 2.5 to 7 mm. The

lateral Lateral is a geometric term of location which may also refer to: Biology and healthcare * Lateral (anatomy), a term of location meaning "towards the side" * Lateral cricoarytenoid muscle, an intrinsic muscle of the larynx * Lateral release ( ...

eyes are larger than the medians. The abdomen is dark gray, longer than wide, with a dark, shiny

anterior Standard anatomical terms of location are used to describe unambiguously the anatomy of humans and other animals. The terms, typically derived from Latin or Greek roots, describe something in its standard anatomical position. This position pro ...

scutum The ''scutum'' (; :''scuta'') was a type of shield used among Italic peoples in antiquity, most notably by the army of ancient Rome starting about the fourth century BC. The Romans adopted it when they switched from the military formation of ...

in males, sometimes with white spots.

Systematics

The species belong to two groups. The ''nocturna'' group consists of ''C. nocturna'', ''C. pluto'', ''C. imbecilla'', ''C. chisos'' and ''C. concolor''; the ''schuszteri'' group of ''C. schuszteri'', ''C. mumai'', ''C. eremella'', ''C. gertschi'' and ''C. gosoga''. Although both groups occur on both sides of the Atlantic, no species is holarctic in distribution.

Species

it contains eighteen species: *'' Callilepis chakanensis'' Tikader, 1982 — India *'' Callilepis chisos'' Platnick, 1975 — USA *'' Callilepis concolor'' Simon, 1914 — Southern Europe *'' Callilepis cretica'' (Roewer, 1928) — Macedonia, Greece, Turkey, Azerbaijan *'' Callilepis eremella'' Chamberlin, 1928 — North America *'' Callilepis gertschi'' Platnick, 1975 — USA, Mexico *'' Callilepis gosoga'' Chamberlin & Gertsch, 1940 — USA *'' Callilepis imbecilla'' (Keyserling, 1887) — USA, Canada *'' Callilepis ketani'' Gajbe, 1984 — India *'' Callilepis lambai'' Tikader & Gajbe, 1977 — India *'' Callilepis mumai'' Platnick, 1975 — USA, Mexico *'' Callilepis nocturna'' (Linnaeus, 1758) — Europe, Caucasus, Russia (Europe to Far East), Kazakhstan, China, Japan *'' Callilepis pawani'' Gajbe, 1984 — India *'' Callilepis pluto'' Banks, 1896 — USA, Canada *'' Callilepis rajani'' Gajbe, 1984 — India *'' Callilepis rajasthanica'' Tikader & Gajbe, 1977 — India *'' Callilepis rukminiae'' Tikader & Gajbe, 1977 — India *'' Callilepis schuszteri'' (Herman, 1879) — Europe, Caucasus, Russia (Europe to Far East), China, Korea, Japan

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q510296 Gnaphosidae Gnaphosidae genera Cosmopolitan spiders