Nihonhimea tesselata
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| Nihonhimea tesselata | |
|---|---|
 | |
| female from Costa Rica | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Araneomorphae |
| Family: | Theridiidae |
| Genus: | Nihonhimea |
| Species: | N. tesselata |
| Binomial name | |
| Nihonhimea tesselata (Keyserling, 1884) | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Nihonhimea tesselata is a species of spider in the family Theridiidae. Originally described as Theridion tesselatum by Eugen von Keyserling in 1884, the species has undergone several taxonomic transfers before being assigned to the genus Nihonhimea by Yoshida in 2016.[1]
The species was originally described by Keyserling in 1884 as Theridion tesselatum based on a female specimen from Peru. The specific epithet "tesselata" (originally "tesselatum") refers to the tessellated or checkered pattern on the spider's opisthosoma.[2]
Banks described Theridion picadoi in 1909, and Levi described Achaearanea terex in 1959, both of which were later synonymized with this species.[3] Levi transferred the species to Achaearanea in 1959 and synonymized A. picadoi and A. terex with A. tesselata in 1963.[4]
The species was later transferred to Parasteatoda by Yoshida in 2008[5] and finally to the newly established genus Nihonhimea by Yoshida in 2016.[6]
Distribution
N. tesselata has a wide distribution range, naturally occurring from Mexico to Paraguay in the Americas. The species has also been introduced to several regions including Pakistan, New Guinea, and Australia (Queensland).[1]
Habitat
N. tesselata builds aerial cobwebs and has been found in various habitats including Eucalyptus plantations. The species typically constructs its webs in the distal portions of tree branches, which allows for effective capture of flying insects.[7]