A monograph of <i>Nephilengys</i> , the pantropical ‘hermit spiders’ (Araneae, Nephilidae, Nephilinae)

Abstract

Abstract The nephilid genus Nephilengys , known for its synanthropic habits, large webs with a retreat and the extreme sexual size dimorphism, is revised. Of the twenty‐three available names, only four species with a globally allopatric distribution are recognized, illustrated and described from both sexes: N. cruentata () inhabits tropical Africa and South America, where it has probably been introduced; N. borbonica () is found on Madagascar, Comoros, Seychelles and the Mascarene Islands; N. malabarensis () ranges from India and Sri Lanka to China, Japan and eastern Indonesia; N. papuana stat.n. is known from New Guinea and tropical Australia. Nephila instigans is the proposed syn.n. of N. borbonica ; N. borbonica livida is syn.n. of N. borbonica ; N. niahensis is syn.n. of N. malabarensis ; N. rainbowi is syn.n. of N. papuana . N. kenmorei , here proposed as a nomen dubium , is an araneid. Nephilengys biology is reviewed and its anatomy summarized for use in a phylogenetic analysis of 197 characters scored for all Nephilengys , selected nephilid species and non‐nephilid outgroups. Two new clades are circumscribed, the ‘ cruentata species group’ (with N. cruentata and N. borbonica ) and the ‘ malabarensis species group’ (with N. malabarensis and N. papuana ).