Misionella Explained

Misionella is a genus of South American crevice weavers that was first described by M. J. Ramírez & C. J. Grismado in 1997.^[1] In 2005 a spider fossil found in 15- to 20-million-year-old Miocene amber from the Dominican Republic was described as Misionella didicostae.^[2] A second specimen was discussed soon thereafter.^[3]

Species

it contains five species from Brazil and Argentina:^[4]

• Misionella aikewara Brescovit, Magalhaes & Cizauskas, 2016 – Brazil
• Misionella carajas Brescovit, Magalhaes & Cizauskas, 2016 – Brazil
• Misionella jaminawa Grismado & Ramírez, 2000 – Brazil
• Misionella mendensis (Mello-Leitão, 1920) (type) – Brazil, Argentina
• Misionella pallida Brescovit, Magalhaes & Cizauskas, 2016 – Brazil

Notes and References

1. Ramírez. M. J.. Grismado. C. J.. 1997. A review of the spider family Filistatidae in Argentina (Arachnida, Araneae), with a cladistic reanalysis of filistatid genera.. Entomologica Scandinavica. 319–349. 28. 3. 10.1163/187631297X00114.
2. Penney. David. 2005. First fossil Filistatidae: a new species of Misionella in Miocene amber from the Dominican Republic. Journal of Arachnology. 33. 1. 93–100. 10.1636/H03-38. 56012330.
3. Penney. David. 2005. Fossil blood droplets in Miocene Dominican amber yield clues to speed and direction of resin secretion. Palaeontology. 48. 5. 925–927. 10.1111/j.1475-4983.2005.00491.x.
4. Gen. Misionella Ramírez & Grismado, 1997. World Spider Catalog Version 20.0. 2019-06-04. 2019. Natural History Museum Bern. 10.24436/2.