Stephanopis
Fauna Portal Genus Number: 967
(after Machado & Teixeira 2021): The genus Stephanopis (stricto sensu) is composed of bark-dwelling spiders with a dorsoventrally compressed, flattened habitus. They have high cephalic prominence, well-developed clypeus and opisthosoma rounded at the rear or ending abruptly (pentagonal in dorsal view). The genus can also be distinguished by males having pedipalps with retrolateral cymbial process, pars pendulum, embolus rigid at its proximal portion, becoming gradually flexible, filiform and meandering post-apically; the retrolateral tibial apophysis is wide, obtuse and single-tipped in all species of the “lata group” (sensu Machado et al. (2019)). However, males of derivate species belonging to the “altifrons group” (sensu Machado et al. (2019) (and St. barbipes) present acute and bifid retrolateral tibial apophysis (well-developed retrolateral tibial apophysis’ ventral branch). Female genitalia is characterized by the epigynal plate with shallow, flattened atrium, slit-shaped copulatory opening and wide, chamberlike copulatory ducts preceding a pair of asymmetric cylindrical spermathecae.
Publications
Machado M, Teixeira RA (2021): Phylogenetic relationships in Stephanopinae: systematics of Stephanopis and Sidymella based on morphological characters (Araneae: Thomisidae). Organisms Diversity & Evolution. 21: 281 - 313DOI
Machado M, Teixeira RA, Milledge GA (2019): On the Australian bark crab spider genus Stephanopis: taxonomic review and description of seven new species (Araneae: Thomisidae: Stephanopinae). Records of the Australian Museum. 71: 217 - 276