Chikunia

Chikunia is a genus of Asian comb-footed spiders that was first described by H. Yoshida in 2009.^[2] These spiders are small, often dark or orange colored. This species can be found in solidarity, though they can also be found in colonies.^[3]

Chikunia
Chikunia albipes
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Subphylum:	Chelicerata
Class:	Arachnida
Order:	Araneae
Infraorder:	Araneomorphae
Family:	Theridiidae
Genus:	Chikunia Yoshida, 2009[1]
Type species
Chikunia albipes (Saito, 1935)
Diversity
3, see text

Colonies

The species C. bilde and C. nigra are unique for spiders, as they are capable of forming intra-species colonies, both spiders being each others closest relative. Both species care for their young, and are thought to do the same to their neighbor's young. These colonies can be around 100 strong, with each adult keeping a distinct territory inside the colony. Another question raised by this unique arrangement, is the fact that they are both genetically distinct species.^[3][4]

Species

As of May 2020^[update] it contains three species, found in Asia:^[1]

• Chikunia albipes (Saito, 1935) – Eastern Russia, China, Korea, Japan

• Chikunia bilde Smith, Agnarsson & Grinsted, 2019 – Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia
• Chikunia nigra (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1880) – India, Sri Lanka to Taiwan, Indonesia.

See also

• List of Theridiidae species