Lutica
Encyclopedia
Lutica is a genus
of zodariid spider
s that occurs only in North America
on both the mainland California
coast and the Channel Islands
. Lutica abalonea is known from the coast west of Oxnard, California
, Lutica clementea is known from San Clemente Island
, Lutica maculata is known from Santa Rosa Island
, and Lutica nicolasia is known from San Nicolas Island
. It is believed that there is another species found on San Miguel Island
, though it has not been described due to lack of adult specimens.
These spiders are found living in coastal sand dunes in and around clumps of foliage. Unlike many spiders, Lutica build web tubes that are covered in sand. These tubes are used to detect prey, such as Coelus globosus
, when they cross the tube, similar to the hunting style of purseweb spiders. Lutica also do not balloon
as most spiders do but rather stay fairly close to their initial locations in their dune environment and non-reproductive terrestrial migration is uncommon.
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of zodariid spider
Spider
Spiders are air-breathing arthropods that have eight legs, and chelicerae with fangs that inject venom. They are the largest order of arachnids and rank seventh in total species diversity among all other groups of organisms...
s that occurs only in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
on both the mainland California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
coast and the Channel Islands
Channel Islands of California
The Channel Islands of California are a chain of eight islands located in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Southern California along the Santa Barbara Channel in the United States of America...
. Lutica abalonea is known from the coast west of Oxnard, California
Oxnard, California
Oxnard is the 113th largest city in the United States, 19th largest city in California and largest city in Ventura County, California, by way of population. It is located at the western edge of the fertile Oxnard Plain, and is an important agricultural center, with its distinction as the...
, Lutica clementea is known from San Clemente Island
San Clemente Island
San Clemente Island is the southernmost of the Channel Islands of California. It is owned and operated by the United States Navy, and is a part of Los Angeles County. Defined by the United States Census Bureau as Block Group 2 of Census Tract 5991 of Los Angeles County, California, it is long and...
, Lutica maculata is known from Santa Rosa Island
Santa Rosa Island, California
Santa Rosa Island is the second largest of the Channel Islands of California at 53,195 acres . Defined by the United States Census Bureau as Block 3009, Block Group 3, Census Tract 29.10 of Santa Barbara County, California, the 2000 census showed an official population of 2 persons. It is part of...
, and Lutica nicolasia is known from San Nicolas Island
San Nicolas Island
San Nicolas Island is the most remote of California's Channel Islands. It is part of Ventura County. The 14,562 acre island is currently controlled by the United States Navy and is used as a weapons testing and training facility, served by Naval Outlying Field San Nicolas Island...
. It is believed that there is another species found on San Miguel Island
San Miguel Island
San Miguel Island is the westernmost of California's Channel Islands, located across the Santa Barbara Channel in the Pacific Ocean, within Santa Barbara County, California. San Miguel is the sixth-largest of the eight Channel Islands at , including offshore islands and rocks. Prince Island, off...
, though it has not been described due to lack of adult specimens.
These spiders are found living in coastal sand dunes in and around clumps of foliage. Unlike many spiders, Lutica build web tubes that are covered in sand. These tubes are used to detect prey, such as Coelus globosus
Coelus globosus
Coelus globosus is a species of beetle in family Tenebrionidae. It is found in Mexico and the United States.The Globose Dune Beetle inhabits foredunes and sand hummocks immediately bordering the coast from Bodega Bay Head to Ensenada, Baja California, and all of the Channel Islands except San...
, when they cross the tube, similar to the hunting style of purseweb spiders. Lutica also do not balloon
Ballooning (spider)
Ballooning is a term used for the mechanical kiting that many spiders, especially small species, as well as certain mites and some caterpillars use to disperse through the air. Many small spiders use gossamer or especially fine silk to lift themselves off a surface or use the silk as an anchor in...
as most spiders do but rather stay fairly close to their initial locations in their dune environment and non-reproductive terrestrial migration is uncommon.
Species
According to Platnick, all Indian species are misplaced in this genus.- Lutica abalonea GertschWillis J. GertschWillis John Gertsch was an American arachnologist. He classified a number of species, including the Brown recluse spider and the Tooth cave spider....
, 1961 — USA - Lutica bengalensis Tikader & Patel, 1975 — India
- Lutica clementea GertschWillis J. GertschWillis John Gertsch was an American arachnologist. He classified a number of species, including the Brown recluse spider and the Tooth cave spider....
, 1961 — USA - Lutica deccanensis Tikader & Malhotra, 1976 — India
- Lutica kovvurensis Reddy & Patel, 1993 — India
- Lutica maculata Marx, 1891 — USA
- Lutica nicolasia GertschWillis J. GertschWillis John Gertsch was an American arachnologist. He classified a number of species, including the Brown recluse spider and the Tooth cave spider....
, 1961 — USA - Lutica poonaensis Tikader, 1981 — India