Common charaters of the genus Pseudicius
Body flattened, low and long. Abdominal color pattern: usually pairs of black and white lateral spots, in some species dark median streak.
Stridulatory spines on cephalothorax and femur I
Regular row of spines on small protuberances, stretching along lateral surfaces of cephalothorax, beneath eyes lateral (presumably stridulatory), corresponding to a row (group) of microspines on prolateral surface of femur I. Variation in modified tibia I Tibia I is modified: usually shortened and sometimes more or less swollen medialy, with characteristic long trichobothria, bent under angle of almost 90 degrees, with spines reduced entirely, or shortened and simmultaneously broadened. Tibia I left and right may vary.. Femur I enlargened and broad, in males leg I is distinctly longest, in females legs IV are the longest. About 80 species of Pseudicius differ strikingly by palpal organs and internal structure of epigynum These evolved independently in various directions, but are connected by intermediate forms. Embolus of various length, parallel to length of channells in epigynum. Tibial apophysis has common trunk variously developped, ended by bifurcate (exceptionally 3-furcate) rami, expanded or reduced, partially or entirely. Epigynum with 2 lateral pockets (sometimes not visible, or absent) in posterior, median, or anterior position. Channels vary from simple bent to simple loops, to very complicated coils. Proposed division of the genus into following groups of species (lack of matching sexes im many species makes grouping provisional)
=============encarpatus group ==================== [ encarpatus] encarpatus] [ badius] Greece [ badius] Greece
=============== cinctus group ====================== [spasskyi] [spasskyi] [ delesserti] [unicus ] Ethiopia Madagascar ================ nepalicus group ===================== [ nepalicus] [ koreanus] Nepal-India Korea, Japan ================ frigidus group =====================
[ frigidus] [ pseudicioides] [ frigidus] [ pseudicioides] India (identif?) Karakorum Mts ================= tamaricis group ==================== [ tamaricis] N Africa ================ grayorum group ===================== [ grayorum ]Australia [ grayorum ]Australia ================== nuclearis group [=================== [kraussi ] Pacific Is. = samoaensis] [kraussi ] [ punctatus Pacific]
===================== okinawensis group ========== [daitaricus] India [ modestus ]India [okinawaensis] Okinawa [ tokaraensis ] Japan ===================== palaestinensis group ========== [ palaestinensis] [ palaestinensis] ================= uncertain genus placement ============== [vulpes] Far East [vulpes] Far East [ koreanus](female) [ africanus] [ originalis ]Vietnam