Rhene flavigera

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
  • Rhanis flavigera C. L. Koch, 1846
  • Rhene danieli Tikader, 1973
  • Rhene indica Tikader, 1973
  • Rhene khandalaensis Tikader, 1977
  • Zygoballus citri Sadana, 1991
  • Rhene citri (Sadana, 1991)
  • Rhene sanghrakshiti Gajbe, 2004

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]

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

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]

References

  1. ^ "Rhene flavigera (C. L. Koch, 1846)". Malaysia Biodiversity Information System. Retrieved 31 August 2025.
  2. ^ a b c d "Rhene flavigera (C. L. Koch, 1846)". World Spider Catalog. Retrieved 31 August 2025.
  3. ^ Thorell, T. (1869). "On European spiders. Review of the European genera of spiders, preceded by some observations on zoological nomenclature [first part]". Nova Acta Regiae Societatis Scientiarum Upsaliensis. 3. 7 (I, 5): 1–108.
  4. ^ "Gen. Rhene Thorell, 1869". World Spider Catalog. Retrieved 31 August 2025.
  5. ^ a b Caleb, J.T.D.; Sanap, R.V.; Tripathi, R.; Sampathkumar, M.; Dharmara, J.; Packiam, S.M. (2022). "Taxonomic notes on some South and Southeast Asian members of the genus Rhene Thorell, 1869 (Aranei, Salticidae, Dendryphantini)". Zootaxa. 5125 (4): 389–407. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.5125.4.3. PMID 36101207.
  6. ^ "Rhene flavigera". iNaturalist. Retrieved 31 August 2025.
  7. ^ "A NEW SPECIES OF JUMPING SPIDER GENUS Rhene Thorell, 1869 (ARANEAE: SALTICIDAE) FROM BANGLADESH". ResearchGate. 2018.
  8. ^ Roy, T.K.; Saha, S.; Raychaudhuri, D. (2016). "A treatise on the jumping spiders (Araneae: Salticidae) of tea ecosystem of Dooars, West Bengal, India". World Scientific News. 53 (1): 1–66.
  9. ^ a b c "Rhene Jumping Spider (Rhene flavigera), Sumatra Indonesia". May 2012. Retrieved 31 August 2025.
  10. ^ Tikader, B.K. (1973). "Studies on some jumping spiders from India (family: Salticidae)". Proceedings of the Indian Academy of Sciences. 78 (B): 68–72. doi:10.1007/BF03045602.