Chikunia

{{Short description|Genus of spiders}} {{Automatic taxobox | image = Chrysso.albipes.female.black.type.-.tanikawa.jpg | image_caption = ''Chikunia albipes'' | taxon = Chikunia | authority = Yoshida, 2009<ref name=NMBE /> | type_species = ''Chikunia albipes'' | type_species_authority = (Saito, 1935) | diversity = 3, see text }}

'''''Chikunia''''' is a genus of Asian comb-footed spiders that was first described by H. Yoshida in 2009.<ref name=Yosh2009>{{citation| last=Yoshida| first=H.| year=2009| contribution=Three new genera and three new species of the family Theridiidae| editor-last=Ono| editor-first=H.| title=''The spiders of Japan with keys to the families and genera and illustrations of the species''}}</ref> These spiders are small, often dark or orange colored. This species can be found in solidarity, though they can also be found in colonies.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal |last1=Smith |first1=Cassandra |last2=Cotter |first2=Addie |last3=Grinsted |first3=Lena |last4=Bowolaksono |first4=Anom |last5=Watiniasih |first5=Ni Luh |last6=Angarsson |first6=Ingi |date=2019 |title=In a relationship: sister species in mixed colonies, with a description of new Chikunia species (Theridiidae) |url=https://academic.oup.com/zoolinnean/article/186/2/337/5301508 |access-date=2023-02-23 |journal=Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society |volume=186 |issue=2 |pages=337–352 |doi=10.1093/zoolinnean/zly083}}</ref>

== Colonies == The species ''C. bilde'' and ''C. nigra'' are unique for spiders, as they are capable of forming inter-species colonies, both spiders being each other's closest relative. Both species care for their young, and are thought to do the same to their neighbor's young. These colonies can be around 100 strong, with each adult keeping a distinct territory inside the colony. Another question raised by this unique arrangement is the fact that they are both genetically distinct species.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=University of London |date=2019 |title=New species of spider discovered with unusual social skills |url=https://www.royalholloway.ac.uk/research-and-teaching/departments-and-schools/biological-sciences/news/new-species-of-spider-discovered-with-unusual-social-skills/ |access-date=February 22, 2023 |website=Royal Holloway}}</ref>

== Species == {{as of|2020|05}} it contains three species, found in Asia:<ref name="NMBE">{{cite journal| title=Gen. Chikunia Yoshida, 2009| website=World Spider Catalog Version 20.0| accessdate=2020-06-12| year=2020| publisher=Natural History Museum Bern| url=http://www.wsc.nmbe.ch/genus/3464| doi=10.24436/2}}</ref>

* ''Chikunia albipes'' (Saito, 1935) – Eastern Russia, China, Korea, Japan

* ''Chikunia bilde'' Smith, Agnarsson & Grinsted, 2019 – Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia * ''Chikunia nigra'' (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1880) – India, Sri Lanka to Taiwan, Indonesia.

==References== {{Reflist}}

Category: Theridiidae genera Category:Spiders of Asia Category:Theridiidae Category:Taxa named by Hajime Yoshida