Plebs is a genus of orb-weaver spiders first described by M. M. Joseph & V. W. Framenau in 2012.[2] Though many of its species have been moved around, a 2012 taxonomic revision suggested that these spiders comprise a monophyletic genus of closely related spiders that evolved in Australia and, through subsequent movements, spread into parts of Asia and Pacific islands.[2]
| Plebs | |
|---|---|
| |
| P. eburnus on web. | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Araneomorphae |
| Family: | Araneidae |
| Genus: | Plebs Joseph & Framenau, 2012[1] |
| Type species | |
| P. eburnus (Keyserling, 1886)
| |
| Species | |
|
22, see text | |
Etymology edit
"Plebs" is Latin for "common people" and refers to this genus being common in Australia.[2]
Description edit
Plebs can be recognised by the unique pattern on the underside of the abdomen: a light inverted U shape, followed by two light spots anterolateral to the spinnerets. Spiders of this genus have a typical "eriophorine" genital morphology: the male pedipalp has a paramedian apophysis and an elongated transverse median apophysis, while the female epigyne has an elongated scape without terminal pockets.[2]
Behaviour edit
These spiders are mainly diurnal, unlike most Araneinae which are mainly nocturnal. They build regular orb-webs with vertical stabilimenta (web decorations used by this and other diurnal orb-weavers). Their webs are generally built in grass and low shrubs.[2]
Species edit
As of April 2019[update] it contains twenty-two species. Seven are found in Australia, thirteen in Asia, one on New Caledonia, and one endemic to Vanuatu.[1]
- Plebs arleneae Joseph & Framenau, 2012 – Australia (Queensland, New South Wales)
- Plebs arletteae Joseph & Framenau, 2012 – Australia (Lord Howe Is.)
- Plebs astridae (Strand, 1917) – China, Korea, Taiwan, Japan
- Plebs aurea (Saito, 1934) – Japan
- Plebs baotianmanensis (Hu, Wang & Wang, 1991) – China
- Plebs bradleyi (Keyserling, 1887) – Southeastern Australia, Tasmania
- Plebs cyphoxis (Simon, 1908) – Australia (Western Australia, South Australia)
- Plebs eburnus (Keyserling, 1886) (type) – Eastern Australia, Tasmania
- Plebs himalayaensis (Tikader, 1975) – India
- Plebs mitratus (Simon, 1895) – India
- Plebs neocaledonicus (Berland, 1924) – New Caledonia
- Plebs oculosus (Zhu & Song, 1994) – China
- Plebs opacus Joseph & Framenau, 2012 – Vanuatu
- Plebs patricius Joseph & Framenau, 2012 – Australia (Victoria, Tasmania)
- Plebs plumiopedellus (Yin, Wang & Zhang, 1987) – China, Taiwan
- Plebs poecilus (Zhu & Wang, 1994) – China
- Plebs rosemaryae Joseph & Framenau, 2012 – Australia (Queensland, Norfolk Is.)
- Plebs sachalinensis (Saito, 1934) – Russia (Far East), China, Korea, Japan
- Plebs salesi Joseph & Framenau, 2012 – New Guinea
- Plebs sebastiani Joseph & Framenau, 2012 – Philippines
- Plebs tricentrus (Zhu & Song, 1994) – China
- Plebs yanbaruensis (Tanikawa, 2000) – Japan
References edit
- ^ a b "Gen. Plebs Joseph & Framenau, 2012". World Spider Catalog Version 20.0. Natural History Museum Bern. 2019. doi:10.24436/2. Retrieved 2019-05-14.
- ^ a b c d e Joseph, Mathew M.; Framenau, Volker W. (2012). "Systematic review of a new orb-weaving spider genus (Araneae: Araneidae), with special reference to the Australasian-Pacific and South-East Asian fauna". Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. 166 (2): 279–341. doi:10.1111/j.1096-3642.2012.00845.x.