Striped Spitting Spider Dictis striatipes L. Koch, 1872
Fauna Portal species: 312
Dictis striatipes male, dorsal (HBI N18342-1; Barrow Island, Western Australia)
Image: V.W. Framenau (2024)
Fauna Portal Image No. 9185Diagnosis
Dictis striatipes is the only species of the genus Dictis currently known from Australia and can thereby be identified by the number of tarsal claws (2 vs 3 in Scytodes).
The females can be confused with Scytodes fusca, but generally have pale legs, often with very thin longitudinal dark lines and dark joints, whereas the legs in S. fusca generally have darker femora and pale tibiae, metatarsi and tarsi. Males can easily be distinguished by the lack of strong, stout macrosetae on the anterior sternum, generally present in S. fusca.
The distance between the copulatory openings in females is highly variable and may be much smaller than in the female illustrated here.
Status
- native
Linnean Type
L. Koch (1872) lists syntypes (unknown number of males and females) from Upolu (Samoa) and the Kingdom of Tonga- and the Republic of Filji. Rack (1961) lists two syntypes (no sex given) from Samoa in the Zoological Museum, Hamburg.
Australia
- Northern Territory
- Queensland
- Western Australia
Neighbouring Countries
- Indonesia
- New Caledonia
- Papua New Guinea
Fauna Portal Records
The map shows all records that have been verified as part of the Fauna Portal project and may not represent the true distribution of a species. Specifically, for described species, check the link to the Atlas of Living Australia on this page for potential wider distributions. Fauna Portal Reference specimens and Linnean types are shown in red. If you identified a specimen that exceeds the distribution of an undescribed species as illustrated here, please contact the Fauna Portal team who can assist with the lodgement of the specimen in a public institution and display on the map.
Publications
(1872): Die Arachniden Australiens, nach der Natur beschrieben und abgebildet [Erster Theil, Lieferung 3-7]. Bauer & Raspe, Nürnberg. 105 - 368
(1961): Die Entomologischen Sammlungen des Zoologischen Staatsinstituts und Zoologischen Museums Hamburg. II. Teil. Chelicerata II: Araneae. Mitteilungen aus dem Hamburgischen Zoologischen Museum und Institut. 59: 1 - 60