" A Catalogue of Animals of China: Invertebrates, Volume 39 (Arachnida, Araneae, Gastropodidae): Arachnida, Araneae, Gastropodidae "

Author: Song Daixiang
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-08-01
Features: The family of flatbelly spiders is the sixth-largest family in the order Araneae. These spiders primarily inhabit leaf litter, under rocks, and in gaps between tree trunks or walls, and are mostly crepuscular (active at dawn and dusk). Due to their rarity during the day and dull body coloration, they generally go unnoticed. Flatbelly spiders are an important component of soil fauna, playing a significant role in material and energy flows as well as maintaining ecological balance. They are also key natural enemies of agricultural and forest pests. This volume records 34 genera and 166 species of flatbelly spiders, including 1 new genus and 14 new species. The content is divided into two parts: General Introduction and Specific Accounts. The General Introduction provides a concise overview of the research history, morphological characteristics, classification system, geographic distribution, and biology of flatbelly spiders. The Specific Accounts include descriptions and illustrations of the morphological characteristics and geographic distribution of families, genera, and species, as well as identification keys for genera and species in China. An index of Chinese and scientific names is appended at the end.