Praestigia
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| Praestigia | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Araneomorphae |
| Family: | Linyphiidae |
| Genus: | Praestigia Millidge, 1954[1] |
| Type species | |
| P. duffeyi Millidge, 1954 | |
| Species | |
|
8, see text | |
Praestigia is a genus of sheet weavers that was first described by Alfred Frank Millidge in 1954.[2]
The defining characteristic of Praestigia is a projection issuing from the ocular region in males, which varies in form depending on the species, and bears a cap at its distal end. The cap is composed of a series of interconnected fibers glued to the projection with a waxy substance. The cap itself is easily dislodged and lost, and where it originates from is unclear.[3]
The generic name is a combination of Latin prae, meaning "in front" or "before" and Greek stigios, meaning "an awl," a reference to the above-described projection.[3]