| Hexophthalma | |
|---|---|
| |
| Unidentified species from coastal Namibia | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Araneomorphae |
| Family: | Sicariidae |
| Genus: | Hexophthalma Karsch, 1879[1] |
| Diversity[1] | |
| 8 species | |
Hexophthalma is a genus of spiders in the family Sicariidae.[1] Although the genus was originally erected in 1878 (then with the name Hexomma), it was merged into the genus Sicarius in the 1890s, and remained unused until revived in 2017, when it was discovered that the African species then placed in Sicarius were distinct. The English name six-eyed sand spiders is used for members of the genus,[2] particularly Hexophthalma hahni.
All Hexophthalma species live in Namibia or South Africa. Species in the genus have dermonecrotic venom, and can potentially cause serious or even life-threatening wounds.