Broad-banded Grass Spider
In side view, spiders of the genus Perenethis can be readily distinguished from other pisaurids by a characteristically low carapace with the four median eyes sitting on an extended and gradually sloping clypeus. This means the median ocular quadrangle is immediately discernible in dorsal view. (In other pisaurids, the clypeus slope is steep, and the four median eyes are more visible from the front, rather than from above.) Unlike Polyboea. the AME of Perenethis are slightly larger than the ALE by a ratio of 3:2.
In both sexes, P. venusta is easily recognised by a broad, chocolate-coloured median band running the length of the spider. The band is delineated on each side by a narrow line made of white setae.
| Length | ♀ 9–10 mm; ♂ 5–8 mm |
| Type Locality | Queensland, Australia |
| Distribution | Widespread, including Singapore, Thailand, Myanmar, Philippines, India, Japan, Australia. |
| Habitat | Grassy areas fringing secondary forests. |
| Biology | Perenethis are active hunters among low herbage and do not build a web. |
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Chelicerata (Chelicerates)
Class Arachnida (Arachnids)
Order Araneae (Spiders)
Suborder Araneomorphae (Typical Spiders)
Holotype
Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin (ZMB), Germany (database export of type material, March 2019); ♀ (29224) of Perenethis parkinsoni
Holotype
Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin (ZMB), Germany (database export of type material, March 2019); ♂ (2009) of Dolomedes stilatus
Lectotype
Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin (ZMB), Germany (database export of type material, March 2019); ♀ (3501) (Raven & Hebron, 2018)
Paralectotype
Zoologisches Museum Hamburg (ZMH), Hamburg, Germany; 2♀ (A0000800) (L. Koch, 1878a)
Paralectotype
Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin (ZMB), Germany; 1♀ (3501) (Raven & Hebron, 2018)
Perenethis venusta (Original description ♀)
L. Koch, 1878a Die Arachniden Australiens, nach der Natur beschrieben und abgebildet [Erster Theil, Lieferung 22-23]: 980, pl. 85, f. 7 doi:10.5962/bhl.title.121660
Dolomedes stilatus (Original description ♂)
Perenethis venusta (Original description ♂)
Perenethis parkinsoni (Original description ♀)
Dahl, 1908 Die Lycosiden oder Wolfspinnen Deutschlands und ihre Stellung im Haushalt der Natur: 228, f. 7
Perenethis unifasciata (♂♀; misidentified per Sierwald, 1997: 396)
Chrysanthus, 1967a Spiders from south New Guinea VIII: 422, f. 53-57
Perenethis unifasciata (♀; misidentified per Raven & Hebron, 2018: 287)
Barrion & Litsinger, 1995 Riceland spiders of South and Southeast Asia: 348, f. 206a-f
Perenethis venusta (♂♀, Synonym of Perenethis parkinsoni)
Sierwald, 1997 Phylogenetic analysis of pisaurine nursery web spiders, with revisions of Tetragonophthalma and Perenethis (Araneae, Lycosoidea, Pisauridae): 396, f. 42-47, 53, 57, 75-76
Perenethis venusta (♂♀)
Chen & Chen, 2002 Note on a newly recorded spider, Perenethis venusta L: 32, f. 1A-F, 2A-D
Perenethis unifasciata (♀; misidentified per Raven & Hebron, 2018: 287)
Sunil Jose, Sudhikumar & Sebastian, 2007 First record of Perenethis unifasciata (Doleschall) from India (Araneae: Pisauridae): 127, f. 1a-f
Perenethis venusta (♂♀)
Tanikawa & Ono, 2009 Pisauridae: 220, f. 31-32
Perenethis venusta (♂♀, Synonym of Dolomedes stilatus and Perenethis kawangisa)
Raven & Hebron, 2018 A review of the water spider family Pisauridae in Australia and New Caledonia with descriptions of four new genera and 23 new species: 287, f. 4f, 5a, 75a-c, 76a-d doi:10.17082/j.2204-1478.60.2018.2017-06
Perenethis venusta (♀)
Serita, 2021b [Perenethis venusta collected in Kochi prefecture]: 105, f. 1a-b
Perenethis venusta (♂)
Serita, 2023b Note on two Perenethis species in Kochi Pref: 26, f. 2, 4
* Retrieved from the World Spider Catalog.
Widespread, including Singapore, Thailand, Myanmar, Philippines, India, Japan, Australia.