''Eresus cinnaberinus'' and ''Eresus niger'' are names formerly used for a group of spiders in the genus ''

Eresus ''Eresus'', also called ladybird spiders, is a genus of velvet spiders (family Eresidae) that was first described by Charles Athanase Walckenaer in 1805. Members of the genus formerly called '' Eresus cinnaberinus'' or ''Eresus niger'' are now ...

'' now divided into three species, '' E. kollari'', '' E. sandaliatus'', and '' E. moravicus''. The three species differ in size, colour pattern, shape of prosoma and copulatory organs, and habitat, with no morphologically intermediate forms. As eastern and western ''E. kollari'' are genetically different, with the eastern form likely a hybrid between "pure" ''E. kollari'' and ''E. moravicus'', it is possible that later revisions will partition it into additional species. Both ''E. cinnaberinus'' and ''E. niger'' are now regarded as ''

nomina dubia In binomial nomenclature, a ''nomen dubium'' (Latin for "doubtful name", plural ''nomina dubia'') is a scientific name that is of unknown or doubtful application. Zoology In case of a ''nomen dubium,'' it may be impossible to determine whether a ...

''.

Distributions

* ''E. kollari'' has the widest distribution of the three species, occurring from Spain and Portugal to Novosibirsk in Russia. * ''E. moravicus'' occurs in the Pannonian region, the

Balkan Peninsula The Balkans ( , ), corresponding partially with the Balkan Peninsula, is a geographical area in southeastern Europe with various geographical and historical definitions. The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains that stretch throug ...

and parts of the

Austrian Alps The Central Eastern Alps (), also referred to as Austrian Central Alps () or just Central Alps, comprise the Main chain of the Alps, main chain of the Eastern Alps in Austria and the adjacent regions of Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Italy and Slov ...

. * ''E. sandaliatus'' occurs in northern Europe (Denmark, southern Sweden, southern England, Schleswig-Holstein in Germany) and in western central Europe (the Czech Republic, the Danube region in Bavaria, the Austrian Alps, northern France).

References

{{reflist Eresidae Nomina dubia