Hersiliidae Murricia

Murricia cornuta Baehr & Baehr, 1993

Green Murricia

Compared with the typical Hersilia, spiders of the genus Murricia have shorter legs and are generally smaller. The abdomen is widely trapezoidal, and is shorter than the entire length of the posterior lateral spinnerets. The eye area is elevated, with a concavity at the base of a pair of low tubercles between the PME and PLE. The body is covered by characteristic black blade-shaped setae visible under a hand lens.

M. cornuta was described from a female collected in Singapore. The name "cornuta", meaning "horns" in Latin, refers to a pair of low and rounded conical tubercles described above. These cones are discernible in side view but are not obvious in front view unless the specimen is tilted at a certain angle. Nevertheless, the species may be instantly recognised in the field by its association with the mangrove habitat, the unmistakable shape of its abdomen, its variegated body with green, white, and orangish-brown hairs, and a dark median band running from the clypeus. through the carapace, towards the posterior end of the abdomen.