Pachygnatha

Pachygnatha is a genus of long-jawed orb-weavers that was first described by Carl Jakob Sundevall in 1823.

Distribution

Spiders in this genus are found in Eurasia, Africa and North America.

Life style

Pachygnatha species are typically found close to the ground in leaf litter, hollow plant stems, under stones, dead wood, or leaves. They are usually more numerous in damp areas.
Adult spiders are secondarily webless, with only immature spiders constructing orb webs.

African species

Very little is known about the biology and behaviour of Afrotropical species. Studies have shown that Pachygnatha species are found mainly in the lower litter layer, with Pachygnatha leleupi being the most common species. This species occurs throughout equatorial Africa at high altitudes, from Cameroon to Malawi. Specimens were much more abundant where water was available.

Description

The carapace bears eyes that are closely grouped, with median eyes separated by their own diameter. The chelicerae are notably large and consistently feature three teeth on the anterior margin in females. In males, the chelicerae are modified and expanded, sometimes bearing a spur on the outside above the base of the fang. The abdomen is subspherical and slightly flattened.
The dorsal surface displays a folium bordered by dark marks with adjacent silver spots. The folium typically has posterior lobes, and the cardiac mark is sometimes outlined by dark pigment or features a median dark mark. Paired white spots are often present. The legs are rather thin and lack macrosetae.

Species

, this genus includes 44 species and two subspecies:Pachygnatha amurensis Strand, 1907 – Russia, ChinaPachygnatha atromarginata Bosmans & Bosselaers, 1994 – CameroonPachygnatha autumnalis Marx, 1884 – Canada, United States, CubaPachygnatha bispiralis Nzigidahera & Jocqué, 2014 – BurundiPachygnatha bonneti Senglet, 1973 – SpainPachygnatha brevis Keyserling, 1884 – Canada, United StatesPachygnatha calusa Levi, 1980 – United StatesPachygnatha clercki Sundevall, 1823 – North America, Europe, Caucasus, Russia, Kazakhstan, Iran, Central Asia, China, Korea, Japan Pachygnatha clerckoides Wunderlich, 1985 – Albania, North Macedonia, Bulgaria, Russia, IranPachygnatha degeeri Sundevall, 1830 – Azores, Europe, Turkey, Caucasus, Russia, Iran, Central Asia, China

* P. d. dysdericolor Jocqué, 1977 – MoroccoPachygnatha dorothea McCook, 1894 – Canada, United StatesPachygnatha fengzhen Zhu, Song & Zhang, 2003 – ChinaPachygnatha furcillata Keyserling, 1884 – Canada, United StatesPachygnatha goedeli Bosmans & Bosselaers, 1994 – CameroonPachygnatha hexatracheata Bosmans & Bosselaers, 1994 – CameroonPachygnatha intermedia Nzigidahera & Jocqué, 2014 – BurundiPachygnatha jansseni Bosmans & Bosselaers, 1994 – CameroonPachygnatha kiwuana Strand, 1913 – DR CongoPachygnatha leleupi Lawrence, 1952 – Cameroon, DR Congo, Malawi, Zimbabwe, South AfricaPachygnatha listeri Sundevall, 1830 – Europe, Turkey, Caucasus, Russia, KazakhstanPachygnatha longipes Simon, 1894 – MadagascarPachygnatha monticola Baba & Tanikawa, 2018 – JapanPachygnatha mucronata Tullgren, 1910 – East Africa
* P. m. comorana Schmidt & Krause, 1993 – ComorosPachygnatha ochongipina Barrion & Litsinger, 1995 – PhilippinesPachygnatha okuensis Bosmans & Bosselaers, 1994 – CameroonPachygnatha opdeweerdtae Bosmans & Bosselaers, 1994 – CameroonPachygnatha palmquisti Tullgren, 1910 – Kenya, TanzaniaPachygnatha procincta Bosmans & Bosselaers, 1994 – Cameroon, Burundi, KenyaPachygnatha quadrimaculata – Russia, China, Korea, JapanPachygnatha rotunda Saito, 1939 – JapanPachygnatha ruanda Strand, 1913 – RwandaPachygnatha shengtangensis Huang, Wu, Yin, Xu & Chen, 2024 – ChinaPachygnatha simoni Senglet, 1973 – SpainPachygnatha sundevalli Senglet, 1973 – Portugal, SpainPachygnatha tenera Karsch, 1879 – Russia, China, Korea, JapanPachygnatha terilis Thaler, 1991 – Switzerland, Austria, ItalyPachygnatha tristriata C. L. Koch, 1845 – Canada, United StatesPachygnatha tullgreni Senglet, 1973 – Portugal, SpainPachygnatha unciniformis Huang, Wu, Yin, Xu & Chen, 2024 – ChinaPachygnatha ventricosa Nzigidahera & Jocqué, 2014 – BurundiPachygnatha vorax Thorell, 1895 – MyanmarPachygnatha xanthostoma C. L. Koch, 1845 – Canada, United StatesPachygnatha zappa Bosmans & Bosselaers, 1994 – Cameroon, Kenya, Malawi, South AfricaPachygnatha zhui Zhu, Song & Zhang, 2003 – China

In synonymy:

P. gaoi Zhu, Song & Zhang, 2003 = Pachygnatha amurensis Strand, 1907
P. kuratai Levi, 1951 = Pachygnatha dorothea McCook, 1894
P. nipponica = Pachygnatha quadrimaculata
P. sewardi Chamberlin & Ivie, 1947 = Pachygnatha clercki Sundevall, 1823
P. yiliensis = Pachygnatha degeeri Sundevall, 1830