Parasteatoda
| Parasteatoda | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| female P. ryukyu | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Family: | Theridiidae |
| Genus: |
Parasteatoda Archer, 1946 |
| Type species | |
|
Theridion tepidariorum C. L. Koch, 1841 |
|
| Species | |
|
see text |
|
| Diversity | |
| c. 40 species | |
see text
Parasteatoda is a genus of spiders in the Theridiidae (tangle web spider) family.
Most species are mainly grayish brown to blackish brown, but some are bright orange.
This is mostly an Old World genus, with many species found in Asia and New Guinea, but reaching into Europe. A single species, P. tepidariorum is found in the New World, but P. tepidariorum australis can also be found in New Guinea, Myanmar and Pakistan.
Many species in this genus were moved from Achaearanea during a major revision in 2008.
The genus name is combined from Ancient Greek para "beside, near" and the theridiid genus Steatoda. The Japanese name for this genus is O-himogumo zoku ("thread silk spider family").
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