Teyl

Teyl
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Subphylum:	Chelicerata
Class:	Arachnida
Order:	Araneae
Infraorder:	Mygalomorphae
Family:	Anamidae
Genus:	Teyl Main, 1975
Species
See text.
Synonyms
Merredinia Main, 1983 Pseudoteyl Main, 1985

Teyl is a genus of spiders in the family Anamidae with four described (and many undescribed) species, all of which are endemic to Australia. It is one of the genera that was placed in the former tribe Teylini (now included in the Anamidae). The type species is T. luculentus.

Description

Species of this genus range from 2 to 10 mm in carapace length.

Species

• Teyl harveyi Main, 2004 — Victoria
• Teyl luculentus Main, 1975 — Western Australia
• Teyl walkeri Main, 2004 — Victoria
• Teyl yeni Main, 2004 — Victoria

Distribution

The genus occurs in south-western Australia as well as in Eyre Peninsula and western Victoria. Its distribution was likely fragmented in southern Australia during the Cretaceous inundation of central Australia, the radiation of the genus in south-western Australia has probably resulted from the continuing isolation of relictual habitats which have retained aspects of Gondwanan conditions.

Names

The genus name is an Australian Aboriginal word meaning a brightly coloured stone - thus the reference is to the glabrous (shiny) bright texture of the spider's integument. The specific name luculentus of the type species refers to the shining yellowish colour. T. harvey is named as a tribute to Mark S. Harvey, T. walkeri after Ken Walker, T. yeni after Alan Yen.

References

• Main, B.Y. (1975): The citrine spider; a new genus of trapdoor spider (Mygalomorphae: Dipluridae). The Western Australian Naturalist 13(4): 73-78.
• Main, Barbara York (2004): Biosystematics of Australian mygalomorph spiders: descriptions of three species of Teyl from Victoria (Araneae: Nemesiidae). Memoirs of Museum Victoria 61(1): 47-55. PDF