Harpactea is a genus of woodlouse hunting spiders that was first described by W. S. Bristowe in 1939.[2] They are non-web building predators that forage on the ground and on tree trunks at night, mainly in xerothermic forests. During the day, they hide in silk retreats they build under rocks or bark.[3]
H. sadistica was found to use traumatic insemination, the arthropod behavior of directly inserting its sperm into the body cavity of females. It is the first time it has ever been observed in spiders.[4]
H. hombergi is the only member of its genus that occurs in Great Britain.[5]
Like all woodlouse hunters, Harpactea have six eyes. The type species, H. hombergi, can grow up to a body length of 6 millimetres (0.24 in). Males and females are similar, but the female has no epigyne.[5]
Like the rest of their family, they are nocturnal. Unlike them, Harpactea do not specialize on hunting woodlice. H. rubicunda also hunts Drassodes and other spiders, but most Harpactea feed on insects in addition to woodlice.
Almost all species of this genus appear to be endemic to small regions of the Mediterranean.[3] As of January 2022 it contains 188 species from Europe and Northern Africa to Turkmenistan and Iran:[1]
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) Harpactea is a genus of woodlouse hunting spiders that was first described by W. S. Bristowe in 1939. They are non-web building predators that forage on the ground and on tree trunks at night, mainly in xerothermic forests. During the day, they hide in silk retreats they build under rocks or bark.
H. sadistica was found to use traumatic insemination, the arthropod behavior of directly inserting its sperm into the body cavity of females. It is the first time it has ever been observed in spiders.
H. hombergi is the only member of its genus that occurs in Great Britain.
