Cycloctenus facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cycloctenus |
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| Cycloctenus sp. (female) | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Araneomorphae |
| Family: | Cycloctenidae |
| Genus: | Cycloctenus L. Koch, 1878 |
| Type species | |
| C. flaviceps L. Koch, 1878
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| Species | |
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17, see text |
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| Synonyms | |
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Cycloctenus is a group of spiders, also known as a genus, found in Australasia (which includes Australia and New Zealand). These spiders belong to a family called Cycloctenidae. The first time these spiders were officially described was in 1878 by a scientist named L. Koch.
When they were first discovered, Cycloctenus spiders were thought to be part of the nursery web spider family. However, scientists later noticed something special about their eyes, especially how their back and side eyes were much bigger. Because of this unique eye arrangement, they were moved to a different family called Toxopidae. Finally, in 1967, after more study, they found their permanent home in the Cycloctenidae family.
Species of Cycloctenus
As of May 2019, there are seventeen known species within the Cycloctenus genus. These species are found across Australia and New Zealand.
- Cycloctenus abyssinus Urquhart, 1890 – Australia (New South Wales)
- Cycloctenus agilis Forster, 1979 – New Zealand
- Cycloctenus centralis Forster, 1979 – New Zealand
- Cycloctenus cryptophilus Hickman, 1981 – Australia (Tasmania)
- Cycloctenus duplex Forster, 1979 – New Zealand
- Cycloctenus fiordensis Forster, 1979 – New Zealand
- Cycloctenus flaviceps L. Koch, 1878 (type) – Australia
- Cycloctenus flavus Hickman, 1981 – Australia (Tasmania)
- Cycloctenus fugax Goyen, 1890 – New Zealand
- Cycloctenus infrequens Hickman, 1981 – Australia (Tasmania)
- Cycloctenus lepidus Urquhart, 1890 – New Zealand
- Cycloctenus montivagus Hickman, 1981 – Australia (Tasmania)
- Cycloctenus nelsonensis Forster, 1979 – New Zealand
- Cycloctenus paturau Forster, 1979 – New Zealand
- Cycloctenus pulcher Urquhart, 1891 – New Zealand
- Cycloctenus robustus (L. Koch, 1878) – Australia (New South Wales)
- Cycloctenus westlandicus Forster, 1964 – New Zealand
See also
In Spanish: Cycloctenus para niños
