Xerophaeus
Xerophaeus is a genus of ground spiders that was first described by William Frederick Purcell in 1907.
Description
There are no distinct patterns on the body of these medium sized ground dwellers. The body and legs are clothed with dense appressed setae and the male has a small brown scutum. Carapace moderately convex, attenuated in front, with thoracic striae.The anterior row of eyes is strongly procurved; anterior median eyes large; posterior row of eyes wider, moderately or strongly procurved; posterior median eyes generally large, obliquely oval or angular and rather close together; lateral eyes of each side much closer together than the anterior and posterior median eyes.
The chelicera are hardly or not attenuated at apex, with three superior teeth and one inferior tooth, the latter absent in some species; sternum rather broad in front, or, at any rate, not strongly attenuated nor produced. Abdomen of male scutate above at base. Legs generally rather short and robust, the anterior pairs spined below on the metatarsi and tarsi; tarsi and anterior metatarsi scopulate to the base, the posterior metatarsi and often also the anterior tibia scopulate distally.
Taxonomy
This genus has not been revised. This genus is evidently closely allied to Scotophaeus, which differs from it, according to Simon's diagnosis, principally in having the sternum strongly attenuated in front. In Scotophaeus also, both rows of eyes are apparently straighter, the chelicera more strongly attenuated at apex and the head more depressed. Most of the Xerophaeus species have been described by Purcell and Tucker.X. zuluense was transferred to Xerophaeus zuluensis in 2025.
Species
it contains forty-one species and one subspecies:Xerophaeus ahenus Purcell, 1908 – South AfricaXerophaeus anthropoides Hewitt, 1916 – South AfricaXerophaeus appendiculatus Purcell, 1907 – South AfricaXerophaeus aridus Purcell, 1907 – Namibia, South AfricaXerophaeus aurariarum Purcell, 1907 – Namibia, South AfricaXerophaeus bicavus Tucker, 1923 – South AfricaXerophaeus biplagiatus Tullgren, 1910 – Tanzania, South AfricaXerophaeus capensis Purcell, 1907 – South Africa Xerophaeus communis Purcell, 1907 – South AfricaXerophaeus coruscus – Ethiopia, Tanzania, South Africa, Yemen- * Xerophaeus coruscus kibonotensis Tullgren, 1910 – TanzaniaXerophaeus crusculus Tucker, 1923 – South AfricaXerophaeus crustosus Purcell, 1907 – South AfricaXerophaeus druryi Tucker, 1923 – South AfricaXerophaeus espoir Platnick, 1981 – SeychellesXerophaeus exiguus Purcell, 1907 – South AfricaXerophaeus flammeus Tucker, 1923 – South AfricaXerophaeus flavescens Purcell, 1907 – South AfricaXerophaeus hottentottus Purcell, 1908 – South AfricaXerophaeus kiwuensis Strand, 1913 – Central AfricaXerophaeus lightfooti Purcell, 1907 – South AfricaXerophaeus longispina Purcell, 1908 – South AfricaXerophaeus lunulifer Purcell, 1907 – South AfricaXerophaeus maritimus Lawrence, 1938 – South AfricaXerophaeus matroosbergensis Tucker, 1923 – South AfricaXerophaeus occiduus Tucker, 1923 – South AfricaXerophaeus oceanicus Schmidt & Jocqué, 1983 – RéunionXerophaeus pallidus Tucker, 1923 – South AfricaXerophaeus patricki Purcell, 1907 – Mozambique, South AfricaXerophaeus perversus Purcell, 1923 – NamibiaXerophaeus phaseolus Tucker, 1923 – South AfricaXerophaeus robustus Lawrence, 1936 – South AfricaXerophaeus rostratus Purcell, 1907 – South AfricaXerophaeus ruandanus Strand, 1913 – RwandaXerophaeus rubeus Tucker, 1923 – South Africa, LesothoXerophaeus silvaticus Tucker, 1923 – South AfricaXerophaeus spiralifer Purcell, 1907 – South AfricaXerophaeus spoliator Purcell, 1907 – Namibia, South AfricaXerophaeus tenebrosus Tucker, 1923 – South AfricaXerophaeus thomasi – KenyaXerophaeus vickermani Tucker, 1923 – South Africa