Damastes is a genus of East African huntsman spiders that was first described by Eugène Louis Simon in 1880. It is classified under the family Sparassidae, though its subfamilial classification remains unclear. The subspecies Damastes coquereli affinis is a nomen dubium.
Species it contains sixteen species, found on the Seychelles, in Mozambique, and on Madagascar: Damastes atrignathus Strand, 1908 – Madagascar Damastes coquereli Simon, 1880 – Madagascar Damastes decoratus (Simon, 1897) – Madagascar Damastes fasciolatus (Simon, 1903) – Madagascar Damastes flavomaculatus Simon, 1880 – Madagascar Damastes grandidieri Simon, 1880 (type) – Madagascar Damastes majungensis Strand, 1907 – Madagascar Damastes malagassus (Fage, 1926) – Madagascar Damastes malagasus (Karsch, 1881) – Madagascar Damastes masculinus Strand, 1908 – Madagascar Damastes nigrichelis (Strand, 1907) – Mozambique Damastes nossibeensis Strand, 1907 – Madagascar Damastes oswaldi Lenz, 1891 – Madagascar Damastes pallidus (Schenkel, 1937) – Madagascar Damastes sikoranus Strand, 1906 – Madagascar Damastes validus (Blackwall, 1877) – Seychelles
Trapping prey An unspecified Damastes species has been observed in the Sava Region of northeast Madagascar predating on vertebrates (frogs, Heterixalus andrakata). The same spider - and others of the same species - also build structures of leaves and silk and hide in the back of them. It is speculated that these are traps for catching these frogs.
References
External links