- Source: Draculoides
Draculoides is a genus of troglobite schizomid arachnids endemic to North West Australia. Often mistaken for spiders, they are commonly known as short-tailed whip-scorpions or sprickets.
Description
Schizomids are small, soil-dwelling, eight-legged invertebrates that walk on six legs and use the two modified front legs as feelers. They employ large fang-like pedipalps, or pincers, to grasp invertebrate prey and crunch it into pieces before sucking out the juices.
Taxonomy
The genus was first described in 1992 by Mark Harvey of the Western Australian Museum, based on his earlier description of Schizomus vinei (Draculoides vinei).
A second species was described in 1995, Draculoides bramstokeri, based on specimens found at Barrow Island; the specific epithet honours Bram Stoker, the author of Dracula. The allusion to this fictional character, a vampire, in the name of the genus is given for the method of consuming its prey, and further allusions to vampirism appear in the epithets of subsequently described species.
The genus is considered a senior synonym of Paradraculoides, due to paraphyly and a lack of consistent morphological differences.
Species
As of September 2023, the World Arachnida Catalog accepted the following species:
See also
Threatened fauna of Australia
References
Further reading
Burbidge, Andrew A (2004). "9. Invertebrates". Threatened animals of Western Australia. Department of Conservation and Land Management. p. 151. ISBN 0-7307-5549-5. The North West Cape Karst Management Advisory Committee coordinates the conservation of threatened animals on the North West Cape peninsula.
"Draculoides Harvey, 1992". Integrated Taxonomic Information System.
Kata Kunci Pencarian:
- Draculoides
- Draculoides bramstokeri
- Draculoides julianneae
- Draculoides neoanthropus
- Draculoides belalugosii
- Draculoides carmillae
- Draculoides obrutus
- Draculoides bythius
- Draculoides catho
- Draculoides anachoretus
