Eusparassus is a genus of huntsman spiders, known as the stone huntsman spiders, it was first described by Eugène Louis Simon in 1903.
Description
They are medium to large huntsman spiders, their bodies measuring from 10mm to 30mm. Their eyes are arranged in two rows, the anterior one being slightly procurved, while the posterior ones are relatively straight. They are pale gray to dark brown spiders, with a uniform coloration in their body. Or with a clearly patterned body, and banded legs.
Identification
They can be identified by the presence of two pairs of tibial spines on the legs. And from the Olios genus by the palpal bulb morphology.
Habitat
They are commonly found in arid and semiarid deserts of Africa and most parts of Eurasia. Where they inhabit stony habitats, and build retreats in crevices. In which they are one of the most common predators. They can be found in very high elevations from 3,000 to 4,000m above sea level.
Webs
They make silken papery webs, which are usually found in crevices or the underside of flat stones. This webs are used as protection during molts, or as a retreat during the day. Though females of this species lay their egg sacs insides this retreats.
Species
it contains thirty-three species, found in Africa, Asia, Europe, and Peru: Eusparassus arabicus Moradmand, 2013 – Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates Eusparassus atlanticus Simon, 1909 – Morocco Eusparassus barbarus (Lucas, 1846) – Algeria, Tunisia Eusparassus bicorniger (Pocock, 1898) – Egypt, Ethiopia, East Africa Eusparassus borakalalo Moradmand, 2013 – South Africa Eusparassus doriae (Simon, 1874) – Iran Eusparassus dufouri Simon, 1932 (type) – Portugal, Spain. Introduced to the Netherlands Eusparassus educatus Moradmand, 2013 – Namibia Eusparassus fritschi (C. Koch, 1873) – Morocco Eusparassus fuscimanus Denis, 1958 – Afghanistan Eusparassus jaegeri Moradmand, 2013 – Botswana, South Africa Eusparassus jocquei Moradmand, 2013 – Zimbabwe Eusparassus kronebergi Denis, 1958 – Iran, Afghanistan, India Eusparassus laevatus (Simon, 1897) – Ethiopia, Djibouti, Somalia, Arabian Peninsula Eusparassus laterifuscus Strand, 1908 – Madagascar Eusparassus letourneuxi (Simon, 1874) – Algeria, Tunisia Eusparassus levantinus Urones, 2006 – Spain Eusparassus maynardi (Pocock, 1901) – Pakistan Eusparassus mesopotamicus Moradmand & Jäger, 2012 – Iraq, Iran Eusparassus oculatus (Kroneberg, 1875) – Iran, Central Asia to China Eusparassus oraniensis (Lucas, 1846) – North Africa Eusparassus pearsoni (Pocock, 1901) – India Eusparassus perezi (Simon, 1902) – Somalia, Djibouti, Arabian Peninsula Eusparassus pontii Caporiacco, 1935 – India, Pakistan Eusparassus potanini (Simon, 1895) – China Eusparassus reverentia Moradmand, 2013 – Burkina Faso, Nigeria Eusparassus schoemanae Moradmand, 2013 – Namibia, South Africa Eusparassus shefteli Chamberlin, 1916 – Peru Eusparassus syrticus Simon, 1909 – Tunisia Eusparassus tuckeri Lawrence, 1927 – Angola, Namibia Eusparassus vestigator (Simon, 1897) – East Africa Eusparassus walckenaeri (Audouin, 1826) – Greece, Turkey, Algeria to Iraq, Sudan, Iran? Eusparassus xerxes (Pocock, 1901) – United Arab Emirates, Iran, Pakistan