Xestaspis Simon, 1884

Suzuki, Yuya, Hidaka, Ryota & Tatsuta, Haruki, 2023, Revision of goblin spiders (Araneae: Oonopidae) in the Nansei Islands, Southwest Japan, with description of a new species, Zootaxa 5323 (2), pp. 216-242 : 221

Xestaspis Simon, 1884

[New Japanese Name: Nettai-Danigumo-zoku]

Remarks. Currently, Xestaspis includes 19 species, which are mainly recorded in Southeast Asia ( World Spider Catalog 2023). The genus was established based on the type species Oonops loricatus Koch, 1873 . This genus is characterized by reddish-colored body, well-developed abdominal scutum, spineless legs, cymbium unfused with other parts of palpal bulb, slender and long embolus, and is closely similar to Gamasomorpha . Tubercules on the surface of anterolateral side of the abdomen is recognized as a diagnostic character that separate Xestaspis from Gamasomorpha ; however, this characteristic is absent in some Xestaspis species. Therefore, the distinction between these two genera is arbitrary, hence phylogenetic studies are required ( Brescovit et al. 2019; Otto & Harvey 2008; Eichenberger et al. 2012).

The new Japanese name of the genus indicates a “tropical tick-like spider”, derived from its distribution range in tropical and subtropical regions and its general appearance. In Japan, spiders of the subfamily Gamasomorphinae are commonly referred to as “tick-like spiders” (dani-gumo in Japanese) because the generic name Gamasomorpha indicates “Gamasus-like (Gamasus being a genus of Acari)” ( Yaginuma et al. 1990).