Ballinae
Wayne MaddisonIntroduction
A tentative grouping of salticids with a specially spiralled embolus. At least some are beetle-like or pseudoscorpion-like and bark dwellers.
Characteristics
Maddison (1988) proposed as synapomorphies for this group two characters of the male palpi: (1) a well-coiled embolus lying flat on the tegulum, and (2) a tegulum which is divided by a pale longitudinal furrow:
As well, at least some members share an unusual carapace tegument showing a reticulate pattern:
This pattern, however, is also seen in Cheliferoides and Descanso, which I have interpreted to be synagelines. The distinction between synagelines and ballines is clouded by other characters as well.
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Wayne Maddison
University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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Citing this page:
Maddison, Wayne. 1995. Ballinae. Version 01 January 1995 (under construction). http://tolweb.org/Ballinae/2857/1995.01.01 in The Tree of Life Web Project, http://tolweb.org/