Teyl


Teyl is a genus of spiders in the family Anamidae. It is endemic to Australia. It is one of the genera that was placed in the former tribe Teylini. The type species is T. luculentus.

Description

Species of this genus range from 2 to 10 mm in carapace length.

Species

it contains seven species:Teyl damsonoidesWestern AustraliaTeyl harveyi Main, 2004 — VictoriaTeyl heuretes Huey, Rix, Wilson, Hillyer & Harvey, 2019 — Western AustraliaTeyl luculentus Main, 1975 — Western AustraliaTeyl vancouveri — Western AustraliaTeyl walkeri Main, 2004 — VictoriaTeyl yeni Main, 2004 — Victoria

Distribution

The genus occurs in south-western Australia as well as the Eyre Peninsula and western Victoria. Its distribution was likely fragmented in southern Australia during the Cretaceous inundation of central Australia. The radiation of the genus in south-western Australia has probably resulted from the continuing isolation of relictual habitats which have retained aspects of Gondwanan conditions.

Names

The genus name is an Australian Aboriginal word meaning a brightly coloured stone - thus the reference is to the glabrous bright texture of the spider's integument.
The specific name luculentus of the type species refers to the shining yellowish colour.
T. harvey is named as a tribute to Mark S. Harvey, T. walkeri after Ken Walker, T. yeni after Alan Yen.