Zelotes

Zelotes
Female Zelotes iriomotensis
Drawing of female Z. asiatica
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Infraorder: Araneomorphae
Family: Gnaphosidae
Genus: Zelotes
Gistel, 1848[1]
Type species
Z. subterraneus
(C. L. Koch, 1833)
Species

400, see text

Synonyms[1]

Zelotes is a genus of ground spiders that was first described by J. Gistel in 1848.[4]

Description

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The genus Zelotes exhibits the typical characteristics of dark ground spiders.[5]

They are small to medium-sized spiders (5-10 mm) that are usually darkish in colour, ranging from dark reddish brown to almost black. The carapace is ovate and narrower in front, with a median fovea.[5]

The anterior median eyes are circular and dark, while posterior median eyes are irregular and light. The abdomen is ovate, and legs are of medium length with leg formula IV, I, II, III. A distinctive pale patch is frequently present on the inside of femora I, and a preening comb is present on metatarsi III and/or IV.[5]

Species

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As of September 2025, this genus includes 408 species:[1]


References

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  1. ^ a b c Gloor, Daniel; Nentwig, Wolfgang; Blick, Theo; Kropf, Christian. "Gen. Zelotes Gistel, 1848". World Spider Catalog. Natural History Museum Bern. doi:10.24436/2. Retrieved 2025-09-24.
  2. ^ Platnick, N. I. (1989). Advances in Spider Taxonomy 1981-1987: A Supplement to Brignoli's A Catalogue of the Araneae described between 1940 and 1981. Vol. 1981. Manchester University Press. p. 488.
  3. ^ Platnick, N. I. (1992). "On the spider subfamily Zavattaricinae (Araneae, Gnaphosidae)". Journal of the New York Entomological Society. 100: 178.
  4. ^ Gistel, J. (1848). Naturgeschichte des Thierreichs für höhere Schulen.
  5. ^ a b c Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S.; Haddad, C.R.; Foord, S.H.; Lotz, L.N. (2021). The Gnaphosidae of South Africa. Part 4 (Z). Version 1. South African National Survey of Arachnida Photo Identification Guide. p. 4. doi:10.5281/zenodo.7197783. This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.