Rhene flavigera
Species of spider
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Rhene flavigera, commonly known as the beige beetle jumper or Zorro flat-head jumper,[1] is a species of jumping spider in the genus Rhene. It is widely distributed across Asia, from Pakistan to Indonesia and Taiwan.[2]
| Beige beetle jumper | |
|---|---|
| |
| female from India | |
 | |
| male from THailand | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Araneomorphae |
| Family: | Salticidae |
| Genus: | Rhene |
| Species: | R. flavigera |
| Binomial name | |
| Rhene flavigera (C. L. Koch, 1846) | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Taxonomy
The species was originally described as Rhanis flavigera by Carl Ludwig Koch in 1846.[2] The genus name Rhanis was later found to be preoccupied by a beetle genus described in 1834,[3] so Tamerlan Thorell provided the replacement name Rhene in 1869. Rhene flavigera serves as the type species for the genus Rhene.[4]
In 2022, Caleb and colleagues conducted a comprehensive taxonomic revision that resulted in five species being synonymized with R. flavigera: Rhene citri, R. danieli, R. indica, R. khandalaensis, and R. sanghrakshiti.[5] This taxonomic consolidation was based on detailed morphological analysis of specimens from across South and Southeast Asia.
Distribution
R. flavigera has a broad distribution across Asia.[2][6] The species has been recorded from Pakistan, India, China, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Indonesia (including Sumatra).[2] It is particularly well-documented from the Indian subcontinent, where several of its former synonyms were originally described.[5]
Habitat
R. flavigera is found in various habitats including gardens, agricultural areas, and forests.[7] The species has been observed in tea plantations in the Dooars region of West Bengal, India.[8] It constructs silk retreats by joining leaves together and emerges to forage for prey.
Description
Female from Hong Kong
Female
Male (Koch 1848)
R. flavigera is a medium-sized jumping spider, with females reaching approximately 7 mm in length.[9] The species exhibits sexual dimorphism typical of jumping spiders. The cephalothorax and legs are typically deep to light brown in coloration, while the abdomen shows variable coloration patterns.[10]
The species is characterized by its broad, flat head and thick front legs.[9] The abdomen and cephalothorax are covered with fine hairs and display brown coloration with white and black markings. The legs show distinctive black and pale white banding patterns.[9]