Eusparassus
Eusparassus is a genus of huntsman spiders, known as the stone huntsman spiders, it was first described by Eugène Louis Simon in 1903.
Description
They are medium to large huntsman spiders, their bodies measuring from 10mm to 30mm. Their eyes are arranged in two rows, the anterior one being slightly recurved, while the posterior ones are relatively straight. They are pale gray to dark brown spiders, with a uniform coloration in their body. Some may have a clearly patterned body with banded legs.
Identification
They can be identified by the presence of two pairs of tibial spines on the legs and distinguished from the Olios genus by the palpal bulb morphology.
Habitat
They are commonly found in arid and semiarid deserts of Africa and most parts of Eurasia where they inhabit stony habitats and build retreats in crevices. They are one of the most visible arachnid predators in their habitats. They can be found in very high elevations from 3,000 to 4,000m above sea level.
Webs
They make silken papery webs, which are usually found in crevices or the underside of flat stones. This webs are used as protection during molts, or as a retreat during the day. Females of this species lay their egg sacs inside the retreats.
Species
, this genus includes 33 species, found in Africa, Asia, Europe, and Peru:Eusparassus arabicus Moradmand, 2013 – Saudi Arabia, United [Arab Emirates]Eusparassus atlanticus Simon, 1909 – MoroccoEusparassus barbarus – Algeria, TunisiaEusparassus bicorniger – Egypt, Ethiopia, East AfricaEusparassus borakalalo Moradmand, 2013 – South AfricaEusparassus doriae – IranEusparassus dufouri Simon, 1932 – Portugal, Spain. Introduced to the Netherlands Eusparassus educatus Moradmand, 2013 – NamibiaEusparassus flavidus – China Eusparassus fritschi – MoroccoEusparassus fuscimanus Denis, 1958 – AfghanistanEusparassus jaegeri Moradmand, 2013 – Botswana, South AfricaEusparassus jocquei Moradmand, 2013 – ZimbabweEusparassus kronebergi Denis, 1958 – Iran, Afghanistan, IndiaEusparassus laevatus – Ethiopia, Djibouti, Somalia, Arabian PeninsulaEusparassus letourneuxi – Algeria, TunisiaEusparassus levantinus Urones, 2006 – SpainEusparassus maynardi – PakistanEusparassus mesopotamicus Moradmand & Jäger, 2012 – Iraq, Iran, Turkey?Eusparassus oculatus – Iran, Central Asia, ChinaEusparassus oraniensis – North AfricaEusparassus pearsoni – IndiaEusparassus perezi – Somalia, Djibouti, Arabian PeninsulaEusparassus pontii Caporiacco, 1935 – India, PakistanEusparassus potanini – ChinaEusparassus reverentia Moradmand, 2013 – Burkina Faso, NigeriaEusparassus schoemanae Moradmand, 2013 – Namibia, South AfricaEusparassus shefteli Chamberlin, 1916 – PeruEusparassus syrticus Simon, 1909 – TunisiaEusparassus tuckeri – Angola, NamibiaEusparassus vestigator – Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya, TanzaniaEusparassus walckenaeri – Greece, Turkey, Algeria, Iraq, SudanEusparassus xerxes – United Arab Emirates, Iran, Pakistan