Castianeira athena

Reiskind, 1969

Castianeira athena is a of -mimic spider in the Corinnidae, first described by Reiskind in 1969. Like other members of its , it exhibits of ants as a defensive strategy against . The species occurs in the United States and Mexico. As a corinnid spider, it is an active hunter rather than a web-builder.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Castianeira athena: //ˌkæstiəˈnaɪrə æˈθiːnə//

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Distribution

Found in the United States and Mexico.

Similar Taxa

  • Castianeira cingulataSimilar -mimic appearance with banded pattern, though C. cingulata has two pale bands and occurs primarily in eastern North America from northeastern U.S. to Florida and Arkansas, while C. athena is found in southwestern U.S. and Mexico.
  • Castianeira sp.Other members of the share the general -mimic body plan, narrow waist-like constriction, and ant-like locomotion; -level identification requires examination of specific banding patterns, arrangement, and genitalic structures.

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