Harpactea
1 species
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.
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.
