SPIDERS OF SOUTH AFRICA

SPIDERS OFOF SOUTH AFRICASPIDERS OFOF SOUTH AFRICASPIDERS OFOF SOUTH AFRICASPIDERS OFOF SOUTH AFRICASPIDERS OFOF SOUTH AFRICASPIDERS OFOF SOUTH AFRICASPIDERS OFOF SOUTH AFRICASPIDERS OFOF SOUTH AFRICASPIDERS OFOF SOUTH AFRICASPIDERS OFOF SOUTH AFRICASPIDERS OFOF SOUTH AFRICA

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SOUTH AFRICA

(ARACHNIDA: ARANEAE) (ARACHNIDA: ARANEAE)

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Abstract ……….4

Introduction ……… … 5

Material and methods ……….6

Results ……… 8

Family and species numbers ……….… 8

ATLAS 1 AGELENIDAE ……… ……9

2 AMAUROBIIDAE ……… … 17

3 AMMOXENIDAE ……….……….22

4 ANAPIDAE ……… 31

5 ANYPHAENIDAE ……… 34

6 ARANEIDAE……….……… 36

7 ARCHAEIDAE ……… ………… 94

8 ATYPIDAE ……… …….101

9 BARYCHLIDAE ……… ………… 103

10 CAPONIIDAE ……….……… 106

11 CHUMMIDAE ………113

12 CLUBIONIDAE ……… ……… 115

13 CORINNIDAE ……….… 131

14 CTENIDAE ……… ………….……173

15 CTENIZIDAE ……… ……….178

16 CYATHOLIPIDAE ……… ……… 199

17 CYRTAUCHENIIDAE ……….… 208

18 DEINOPIDAE ……… ……… ….226

19 DESIDAE ……… … ………230

20 DICTYNIDAE ……….… ………232

21 DIPLURIDAE ……… ………….… 235

22 DRYMUSIDAE ……… ……… ……… 239

23 DYSDERIDAE ……… ……… ……….242

24 ERESIDAE ……… ……….…244

25 FILISTATIDAE ……… ………260

26 GALLIENIELLIDAE ……….………….…262

27 GNAPHOSIDAE ……… … ……… 271

28 HAHNIIDAE ………… ……… 366

29 HERSILIIDAE ……… 371

30 IDIOPIDAE ………379

31 LINYPHIIDAE……… 405

32 LIOCRANIDAE ……….421

33 LYCOSIDAE ……….428

34 MICROSTIGMATIDAE ………485

35 MIGIDAE ……… …489

36 MIMETIDAE……… ………501

37 MITURGIDAE……… ……….504

38 MYSMENIDAE……….…… 522

39 NEMESIIDAE……….524

40 NEPHILIDAE……… 549

41 NESTICIDAE……… 555

42 OECOBIIDAE……….557

43 OONOPIDAE ……….562

44 ORSOLOBIDAE……….571

45 OXYOPIDAE ……….574

46 PALPIMANIDAE ……… 597

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47 PENESTOMIDAE 607

48 PHILODROMIDAE ……… 613

49 PHOLCIDAE ……….…….634

50 PHYXELIDIDAE ……….…… 654

51 PISAURIDAE ……….………671

52 PRODIDOMIDAE ……… 691

53 SALTICIDAE ……….…… 706

54 SCYTODIDAE ……….…….833

55 SEGESTRIIDAE ……….……… ……….… 847

56 SELENOPIDAE ……….855

57 SICARIIDAE ……… 891

58 SPARASSIDAE ……….899

59 SYMPHYTOGNATHIDAE ……… 930

60 TELEMIDAE ……… 932

61 TETRAGNATHIDAE ……….934

62 THERAPHOSIDAE ……….… 949

63 THERIDIIDAE 973

64 THERIDIOSOMATIDAE ……… 1006

65 THOMISIDAE ………1008

66 TROCHANTERIIDAE ……… 1088

67 ULOBORIIDAE ……… ……… 1094

68 ZODARIIDAE ……….1100

69 ZORIDAE ……… 1143

70 ZOROPSIDAE ……… …….………1145

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The South African National Survey of Arachnida (SANSA) was initiated in 1997, with the main aim of documenting the arachnid fauna of South Africa at a national level The South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) came on board for the project’s second phase, called SANSA II, from 2006 to 2010, in partnership with the Agricultural Research Council (ARC)

This four-year inventory and conservation assessment project was dedicated to unifying and strengthening biodiversity research on spiders, and other arachnid fauna of South Africa SANSA’s aims are multiple, and include the collation of data, to determine the dis-tribution ranges of species in South Africa, for assessing their Red List status, using the IUCN criteria

All available data were collated into a relational database and to maximize benefits it was important to determine the spatial coverage of the already available data, and determine where the ‘gaps’ in this data lie Thus, field collecting can be guided towards filling these gaps Data that was available electronically formed the basis of a GIS based gap analysis that was done end of 2007 to identify these gaps in spatial coverage for South African arachnids Based on the GAP analysis areas were identified to undertake SANSA sur-veys Due to extensive field work by SANSA field work managers and by catches of other research projects, student projects and public participation in collecting specimens, more than 40 degree squares were sampled in areas previously poorly sampled, providing valu-able material that improved our knowledge of the distribution of species and provided specimens for future taxonomic studies All these data was used to compile this first atlas

of the spider species of South Africa Data included in this atlas will be used to assess their Red Listing status

Some of the results are:

• 70 families, 463 genera and 2003 species are presently known from South Africa

• This represent 4.8% of the world’s fauna

• Of the 2003 species 1220 (61%) are endemic to the region

• With 485 species having a restricted distribution, known only from few localities

• In South Africa Salticidae is the most diverse family with 240 species, followed by the Gnaphosidae with 176 species and Thomisidae with 133

• Two families Chummidae and Pentastomidae is endemic to South Africa

• During SANSA II a total of 116 new species were discovered and described and another 50 is in the process of being described

• Distribution ranges of more than 200 species known from the rest of Africa were extended to include South Africa

• Information on habitat requirements showed that the Savanna Biome is the most diverse with 1207 species from 62 families, followed by the Grassland Biome with

245 from 56 families

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In November 1995, South Africa ratified the

Conven-tion on Biological Diversity (CBD), which emanated

from the convention Signatories are obligated to

de-velop a strategic plan for the conservation and

sustain-able use of biodiversity To meet these goals will

re-quire an intensive national effort involving three

interre-lated scientific missions: to discover, describe and to

make an inventory of the species diversity of South

Africa; to analyze and synthesize the information into

predictive classification systems that reflect the history

of life; and to organize this information in an efficiently

retrievable form that best meets the needs of science

and society

In 1997 the “South African National Survey of

Arachni-da” (SANSA) in accordance with the country’s

obliga-tions to the CBD was launched at the Agricultural

Re-search Council (ARC) in Pretoria The rationale for this

project was to document the arachnid fauna of South

Africa primarily to gather base-line information on

spe-cies and to determine areas still poorly sampled

The main aim of SANSA is to compile an inventory of

the arachnid fauna of South Africa that will provide

essential information needed to address the

above-mentioned issues concerning the conservation and

sustainable use of the arachnid fauna SANSA is an

umbrella project conducted on a national basis in

col-laboration with other researchers and institutions

coun-trywide and dedicated to the unification and

enhance-ment of biosystematic research on Arachnology in

South Africa

Spiders are ranked the seventh most diverse Order in

global diversity with about 39 000 species described

globally and this is estimated to increase to 170 000

South Africa has a rich spider fauna probably due to

the wide range of habitat types associated with the

region ranging from extreme desert to forest within a

relatively small land area

Most spider sampling and taxonomic research, over

the period 1820-1960, was based on the fauna of the

coastal provinces as most of the practicing

arachnolo-gists were stationed there SANSA surveys increased

sampling of spiders and the number of species

de-scribed and named has increased drastically As with

insects, arachnids have several qualities to support

human well-being and life on earth For example, in

the face of urgent conservation issues, they are likely

to be used as valuable bioindicators i.e species whose

presence or abundance readily reflects some measure

of the character of the habitat within which they are

found

This is true because most arachnid orders are known

to be sensitive to pollution and alterations in habitat

structure, and because they are abundant, speciose

and relatively easy to collect quantitatively to, e.g

monitor changes within a particular habitat They may also prove useful as indicators of overall species rich- ness of biotic communities Moreover, with spiders being an important predatory group of terrestrial animals, they are known to play important roles in biological control in agro-ecosystems, while a few species are also of medical importance to man

Although spiders are absent from the majority of Red Lists this does not mean that they are less threatened

by human activities Spiders are wingless animals and frequently have a high bio-indicative value, as they are usually more strongly associated with a biotope than flying insects Spiders of the suborder Mygalomorphae and especially the larger baboon spiders of the family Theraphosidae, owing to their demand for pets, need

to be accessed according to the IUCN systems

In this document the first atlas for spiders for South Africa is provided It contains information on the species found in South Africa, their endemic status, distribution, abundance, taxonomic status as well as information on their presence in protected areas and agro- ecosystems From this data it is now possible to determine the species that might be threatened and need

to be accessed for red listing

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Data collecting

As part of SANSA II, data from a variety of sources

were used to compile the atlas of the spiders of South

Africa

• All collected specimens were identified and

en-tered into a specimen relational database of the

National Collection of Arachnida (NCA) All the

collecting records were georeferenced

• Present and historical data contained in

publica-tions based on material housed in 17 collecpublica-tions

worldwide were added to the SANSA database

Atlas

• Family information

A short description is provided for each family and the

following information is provided: common names, life

style, body size, diagnostic characters, web/retreat,

habitat, behaviour, notes on the present taxonomic

status and the latest most relevant references

• Species names

The taxon names as listed in Platnick (2010) are used

unless otherwise indicated Species listed in bold are

names listed in revisions that are in final stages of

preparation or in press A few distinct undescribed

morphospecies are also listed

• Arachnida Biodiversity Index (ABI)

The indices of the Arachnida Biodiversity Index (ABI)

range from 0 to 9 It is based on the two sub-indices

relating to geographical distribution (endemicity) and

local abundance The ABI is the sum of the scores for

the two sub-indices A common, widespread,

not-threatened and highly-tolerant species would score 1

(0 + 1), while a highly range-restricted, threatened and

sensitive species would score 9 (6 + 3) (see Table 1)

• Distribution records

Records for the distribution of South African species

are provided, listed per province Type localities are

indicated with an asterix Where possible the institution

housing the type is indicated in brackets

• Records from protected areas

The number of records from protected areas include:

Nation-al Parks; Nature and Game Reserves; state forests; ness areas—all areas for which you need a collecting permit This provides information on species presently protected in protected areas in South Africa

wilder-• Records from agro-ecosystems

The spiders are important predators and play a role as natural control agents in agro-ecosystems From the NCA the crop and the number of occurrence per crops are listed This data was obtained from primary collection records and publications

• Known distribution

The distribution of a species in the Afrotropical Region was obtained from the African Arachnida Database (AFRAD and the distribution of species in South Africa from the NCA and SANSA databases If a species is listed from >10 countries it is listed as “wide through- out Africa”

• Conservation status Level of endemicity: A code from 0-6 were used (see Table 1) with 0 indicating cosmopolitan species to

6 indicating endemic species known only from the type locality

Local abundance: The number of localities a cies hasbeen recorded from is indicated from 1 (common) to 3 (rare) (see Table 1).

spe-• Taxonomic status

The value of the taxonomic status (1-3) indicated whether the species has recently been described or revised (Table 1) Type locality is indicated with a * New species “In press” are included and indicated in bold

• Abbreviations

DRC - Democratic Republic of the Congo (previously Zaire)

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TABLE 1: Codes used to determine the conservation status of spider species in South Africa

VALUE LEVEL OF ENDEMICITY

6 Endemic-known only from type locality / one locality only

5 Known from one province only, wider than type locality

4 Known from two adjoining provinces only

3 South Africa >two provinces

2 Southern Africa (south of Zambezi and Kunene Rivers)

1 Afrotropical Region

0 Cosmopolitan or introduced

VALUE LOCAL ABUNDANCE

3 Very rare known from 1-3 localities

2 Rare known from 4-10 localities

1 Abundant known from >10 localities

VALUE TAXONOMIC STATUS

1 Only description / not part of revision

2 Revised before 1960

3 Revised after 1960; or good descriptions, well illustrated

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FAMILY GENUS SPP ENDEMICS FAMILY GENUS SPP ENDEMICS

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The family Agelenidae occurs worldwide and is known

from South Africa by 6 genera and 12 species with only

one species Agelena zuluana endemic to the region

• Common name: funnel-web spiders

• Life style: web dwellers (funnel-web); usually made

in low vegetation close to the soil surface

• Body size: 6-16 mm (male slightly smaller than

fe-male and legs more slender)

• Diagnostic characters: colour: greyish brown

abdo-men with a reddish brown hue, a well defined

lancet-shaped pattern with two rows of dark lateral patches

and a series of yellow to white spots present dorsally;

carapace: longer than wide and narrower in the

vicin-ity of the eyes; eyes: 8 eyes equal in size and

ar-ranged in 2 rows (4:4); abdomen: narrow-oval and

tapering behind; spinnerets: posterior spinnerets

long and slender, two-segmented, clearly visible from

above; legs: similar in length, long and fairly slender,

especially in males

• Web and retreat: capture web consist of a flat,

slight-ly concave, non-adhesive silk sheet (40-60 cm wide)

composed of a mesh of silken threads suspended by

oblique and vertical threads; the sheet is laid over the

ground or any horizontal area, usually clearly visible

in the early morning when covered with dew drops;

the web usually remains in the same place and is

repaired and enlarged as the spider grows; retreat:

funnel-shaped retreat situated on one side of the web

and usually with an exit at the other end

• Habitat: they are found in most of the floral biomes

but are more abundant in the Savanna and Nama

Koroo Biomes In built-up areas the webs are

some-times found between rubble around buildings One

species, Tegenaria domestica, is synanthropic and is

usually found in and around houses

• Behaviour: the spider hides in the retreat with

the front legs stretched out on the web to pick

up vibrations from prey landing Flying and jumping insects hit the vertical threads and drop onto the web The spider rushes out with great speed, running over the upper surface The prey is grabbed, killed and carried back into the retreat When threaten the spider quickly disappear down the retreat, escaping through the other exit The female lays her eggs in a flat bottle-shaped cocoon covered with sand and attach it to one side of the retreat

• Taxonomic note: The only revision of the

family of the Afrotropical Region was by Roewer (1955), who also provided a key to the species

• References:

HEIDGER, C 1988 Ecology of spiders inhabiting

abandoned mammal burrows in South African

savanna Oecologia 76: 303-306

LEHTINEN P.T 1967 Classification of the

cribel-late spiders and some allied families with notes on

the evolution of the suborder Araneomorpha

An-nales Zoologici Fennici 4, 468 pp

ROEWER C.F 1955 Araneae Lycosaeformia I

(Agelenidae, Hahniidae, Pisauridae) In:

Explora-tion du Parc NaExplora-tional de l’Upemba (MWion G.F

de Witte), Bruxelles 30, 420 pp

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Agelena australis Simon, 1896

Distribution in South Africa: type locality listed as Daka, South Africa but there is only a Daka in

Ken-ya* Northern Cape: 4 km W of Hopetown (-29.62, 24.06) Western Cape: Karoo National Park

(-32.28, 22.46)

Habitat (biomes): NKB, SB

Records from protected areas: 1

Records from agro-ecosystems: 0

Known distribution: Botswana, Kenya*, Namibia, South Africa, Zimbabwe

Conservation status: endemicity: 2; abundance: 3 [5]

Taxonomic status: 2

Agelena gaerdesi Roewer, 1955

Distribution in South Africa: Northern Cape: Green Valley Nuts Estate, Prieska (-29.68, 22.74)

Habitat (biomes): NKB

Records from agro-ecosystems: pistachio (1)

Known distribution: Namibia*, South Africa

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Agelena howelli Benoit, 1978

Distribution in South Africa: Western Cape: Karoo National Park (-32.28, 22.46)

Known distribution: South Africa, Tanzania*

Agelena lawrencei Roewer, 1955

Distribution in South Africa: Limpopo: Waterpoort, N slopes of Soutpansberg (Farm Rochdale)

(-22.54, 29.41)

Habitat (biomes): SB

Known distribution: Zimbabwe*, South Africa

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Agelena zuluana Roewer, 1955

Distribution in South Africa: KwaZulu-Natal: Ulundi (-28.30, 31.42)* Western Cape: Swartberg

Na-ture Reserve (Gamkaskloof) (-33.36, 21.69)

Habitat (biomes): FB, NKB, SB

Known distribution: South Africa*

Benoitia deserticola (Simon, 1910)

Distribution in South Africa: Eastern Cape: Barkly East (-30.96, 27.59) Limpopo: Lajuma Mountain

Retreat, Soutpansberg (-23.03, 29.45) Northern Cape: Kamaggas (-29.75, 17.4)* Western Cape:

Swartberg Nature Reserve (Gamkaskloof) (-33.36, 21.69); Karoo National Park (-32.28, 22.46); Mamre (-33.5, 18.45)

Habitat (biomes): GB, NKB, SB, SKB

Distribution: Botswana, Namibia, South Africa*

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Benoitia ocellata (Pocock, 1900)

Distribution in South Africa: Eastern Cape: Grahamstown (-33.3, 26.52); Grahamstown (Farm

Gret-na, 6 km SW) (-33.31, 26.54); Mountain Zebra National Park (-32.24, 25.43); Baviaanskloof Nature

serve (-33.76, 24.81) Free State: Erfenis Dam Nature Reserve (-28.5, 26.8); Soetdoring Nature serve (-29.05, 26.21); Oranjeville (-26.99, 28.2) Gauteng: Bronkhorstspruit (Farm Onverwacht) (-25.8,

Re-28.74); Cullinan (Renosterkop) (-25.66, 28.51); Irene (Smuts House) (-25.89, 28.23); Pretoria/Tshwane (Eldoraigne) (-25.74, 28.19); Roodeplaatdam Nature Reserve (-25.64, 28.36); Roodepoort (-26.14, 27.86); Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve (-27.59, 27.53) KwaZulu-Natal: Tembe Elephant Park (-26.94, 32.47); Ophathe Game Reserve (-28.52, 31.66); iSimangaliso Wetland park: Sodwana Bay National

Park (-27.4, 32.76); Hluhluwe Nature Reserve (Hippo pools) (-28.02, 32.28) Limpopo: Blouberg

Na-ture Reserve ( -22.99, 29.04); Dendron (Farm Amsterdam) (-23.37, 29.32); Waterpoort, N slopes of Soutpansberg (Farm Rochdale) (-22.54, 29.41); Lajuma Mountain Retreat (-23.03, 29.45); Mosdene Nature Reserve (-24.52, 28.7); Nylsvley Nature Reserve (-24.65, 28.6); Kruger National Park (-22.93, 31.02); Roedtan (-24.6, 29.08); Polokwane Nature Reserve (-23.9, 29.47); Vivo (Farm Bergfontein)

(-23.04, 29.27) Mpumalanga: Dullstroom (-25.42, 30.1); Lowveld National Botanical Gardens (-25.47,

31.0); Kruger National Park: Renosterkoppies (-25.14, 31.84), Napi (-25.37, 31.51), Skukuza (25.00,

31.97), Vutome 06 (-25.24, 32.08); Witbank (-25.88, 29.23) North West: Borakalalo Game Reserve

(-25.14, 27.82); Potchefstroom (ARC-exp Farm) (-26.7, 27.09); Rustenburg Nature Reserve(-25.65,

27.22) Western Cape: Anysberg Nature Reserve (-33.53, 20.76); De Hoop Nature Reserve (-34.45,

20.44); Mamre (-33.5, 18.45); Paarl (-33.71, 18.98); Swartberg Nature Reserve (Gamkaskloof) (-33.36, 21.69); Simonstown (-34.19, 18.42); Table Mountain National Park: Lion's Head (-33.91, 18.42), Table Mountain (-33.82, 18.48)*

Habitat (biomes): all the biomes

Records from agro-ecosystems: maize (1)

Known distribution: Botswana, Namibia, South Africa*

Conservation status:endemicity: 2; abundance: 1 [3]

Benoitia raymondeae (Lessert, 1915)

Distribution in South Africa: Eastern Cape: Baviaanskloof Nature Reserve (-33.76, 24.81) Gauteng:

Roodepoort (-26.14, 27.86); Baviaanspoort (-25.67, 28.37) Limpopo: Buffelspoort (-24.69, 28.4) Mpumalanga: Bethal (Farm Kalasbasfontein) (-26.44, 29.46) Western Cape: Karoo National Park

(-32.28, 22.46); Hermanus (Vogelgat) (-34.4, 19.25)

Habitat (biomes): FB, GB, SB, SKB, TB

Known distribution: Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania*

Continued on next page

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Malthonica africana Simon & Fage, 1922

Distribution in South Africa: Distribution in South Africa: Northern Cape: Aggeneys

(-29.21,18.82). Western Cape: Worcester (-33.64, 19.47)

Habitat (biomes): FB, SKB

Known distribution Kenya*, Botswana, South Africa

Mistaria leucopyga (Pavesi, 1883)

Distribution in South Africa: Eastern Cape: Willowmore (-33.3, 23.5); Mountain Zebra National Park

(-32.24, 25.43); Middelburg (-31.49, 24.99) Limpopo: Blouberg Nature Reserve (-22.99, 29.04) North West: Rustenburg Nature Reserve (-25.65, 27.22) Northern Cape: Benfontein Nature Reserve

(-28.73, 24.76); Augrabies National Park (-28.53, 20.29); Riemvasmaak (-28.45, 20.30); Belmont, 10

km from Hopetown (-29.42, 24.36) Western Cape: 40 km NE Ceres on Touwsriver Road (-33.36,

19.31); Prince Albert (Tierberg) (-33.22, 22.03); Karoo National Park (-32.28, 22.46); Baviaanskloof Mountains (Pampoenkloof) (-33,43, 20.08); Swartberg Nature Reserve (Gamkaskloof) (-33.36, 21.69); Witsand Nature Reserve (-34.39, 20.85)

Habitat (biomes): FB, GB, NKB, SB

Known distribution DRC, East Africa, Ethiopia*, Kenya, Rwanda, South Africa

Benoitia raymondeae (continued)

Continued on the next page KAART VERKEERD

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Olorunia punctata Lehtinen, 1967

Distribution in South Africa: Eastern Cape: Great Fish River Wetland Park, at Boundary of Farm

Hermanuskraal (-33.48, 27.13) Gauteng: Abe Bailey Nature Reserve (-26.36, 27.4); Johannesburg (Liefde en Vrede, Bassonia) (-26.2, 28.04) KwaZulu-Natal: Ngome State Forest (-27.78, 31.45) Lim- popo: Blouberg Nature Reserve (-22.99, 29.04); Lajuma Mountain Retreat (-23.03, 29.45); Polokwane Nature Reserve (-23.9, 29.47); Mosdene Nature Reserve (-24.52, 28.7) Northern Cape: Benfontein Nature Reserve (-28.73, 24.76) Western Cape: Beaufort Wes from the following farms: Farm

Kantkraal (-33.28, 23.22), Farm Vaalkuil (-33.28, 23.22), Farm Katdoornkuil (-33.19, 23.26), Farm De Pannen (-32.69, 23.43), Farm Juriesfontein (-32.53, 23.43), Farm Eerste Water (-32.60, 23.87), Farm Nuwejaarsfontein (-23.95, 23.39), Farm Bokvlei (-32.73, 23.59); Prince Albert (Tierberg) (-33.22, 22.03)

Habitat (biomes): GB, NKB, SB, TB

Known from protected areas: 8

Known distribution: Botswana, DRC*, South Africa

Mistaria leucopyga (continued)

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Tegenaria domestica (Clerck, 1757)

Distribution in South Africa: Gauteng: Bronkhorstspruit (Farm Onverwacht) (-25.8, 28.74); Chartwell,

Four Ways Johannesburg (-26.20, 28.04) Limpopo: Magoebaskloof (Farm Merrick, 52 km E) (-23.87, 30.01) KwaZulu-Natal: Giant's Cup Wilderness Reserve (Farm Goschen) (-29.97, 29.46); Matatiele (Farm Blakely, 2 km S) (-30.33, 28.8) Western Cape: Cape Town (-33.91, 18.42); Stellenbosch

(Muratie Wine Estate) (-33.87, 18.87)

Habitat (biome): synantropic (introduced)

Known from protected areas: 1

Known distribution Cosmopolitan

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The family Amaurobiidae occurs worldwide and 4

gen-era and 8 endemic species are known from South

Afri-ca

• Common name: mesh-web weavers

• Life style: web dwellers with webs made in dark

shady places close to the soil surface

• Body size: 3-16 mm (males slightly smaller in

size and legs more slender)

• Diagnostic characters: colour: drab brown or

grey spiders, abdomen sometimes with ill-defined

pattern and legs in some species with dark

annu-lations; carapace: longer than wide, narrower in

eye region, with longitudinal fovea; eyes: 8 in 2

rows (4:4), usually all pale in colour; abdomen:

oval usually with dense layer of fine setae;

spin-nerets: short; cribellum present; legs: fairly long,

especially in males who also may have a mating

spur on metatarsi I

• Web and retreat: web: a framework of plain

threads supports an irregular network of

cribellat-ed silk threads that radiate on to the substrate

from the retreat; retreat: funnel-shaped and

situat-ed on one side of the web

• Habitat: the amaurobiids are ground-living,

cryp-tic spiders and have been collected from the

Fyn-bos, Grass and Savanna Biomes

• Behaviour: they are nocturnal hunters and when

prey come in contact with the signal trip lines of

the web, the spider rushes out to overpower it

Webs are made beneath logs and stones or holes

in trees or under stones in caves

The presence of modified setae on the palp and

spinules and striae on the chelicerae of males

suggest that stridulation might play a role in

com-munication in this group of spiders Females make

spherical or oval egg cocoons with bits of dirt and

debris incorporated into the covering The egg cocoon is attached to the substrate and the female remains with it

• Taxonomic note: a revision of the Afrotropical

members are presently underway and several new genera and species are possibly new (Griswold pers com)

• References:

DIPPENAAR-SCHOEMAN, A.S & JOCQUÉ, R

1997 African spiders: an identification manual Plant

Protection Research Institute Handbook no 9, Plant Protection Research Institute, Pretoria 392 pp

ARC-LEHTINEN P.T 1967 Classification of the cribellate

spiders and some allied families with notes on the

evo-lution of the suborder Araneomorpha Annales

Zoologi-ci FenniZoologi-ci 4, 468 pp

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Chresiona convexa Simon, 1903

Distribution in South Africa: Western Cape: type locality only as Bonae Spei *

Habitat (biomes): FB

Taxonomic status: 1.

Chresiona invalida (Simon, 1898)

Distribution in South Africa: Western Cape: type locality only as Bonae Spei* KwaZulu-Natal: Sani

Pass (-29.62, 29.37) Limpopo: Blouberg Nature Reserve (-22.99, 29.04); Little Leigh (-22.95, 29.87)

Habitat (biomes): FB, GB, SB

Known distribution: South Africa

?

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Chresiona nigrosignata Simon, 1903

Distribution in South Africa: Western Cape: type locality only as Bonae Spei*

Macrobunus caffer (Simon, 1907)

Distribution in South Africa: Western Cape: Cape Town (-33.91, 18.42)*; Jacobsbaai (-33.15,

18.03)

?

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Pseudauximus annulatus Purcell, 1908

Distribution in South Africa: Northern Cape: Kamaggas, Little Namaqualand (-29.75,17.40)* popo: Lajuma Mountain Retreat (-23.03, 29.45)

Lim-Habitat (biomes): SKB, SB

Obatala armata Lehtinen, 1967

Distribution in South Africa: Western Cape: Cederberg Wilderness Area (-32.16,18.89)*; Mamre

(-33.5, 18.45)

Trang 21

Pseudauximus pallidus Purcell, 1903

Distribution in South Africa: Northern Cape: Hanover (-30.94, 24.53)* Western Cape: Swartberg

Nature Reserve (Gamkaskloof) (-33.36, 21.69)

Habitat (biomes): FB, NKB

Pseudauximus reticulatus Simon, 1902

Distribution in South Africa: Western Cape: type locality only as Cape of Good Hope*; Robben

Is-land (-33.80, 18.35)

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The Ammoxenidae is a small family known only from

Southern Africa and Australia In South Africa they are

represented by 2 genera and 15 species, of which 9

are endemic to the region

• Common names: Ammoxenus (termite feeders or

sand divers); Rastellus (lesser termite feeders or

and divers)

• Life style: wanderers (ground dwellers):

free-running on the soil surface, associated with

ter-mites

• Body size: 2-10 mm (Ammoxenus); 1.3-3 mm

(Rastellus) (males slightly smaller in body size)

• Diagnostic characters: colour: blackish brown to

pale yellow spiders with abdominal pattern varying

from shiny blackish brown with pale median band

and border to yellowish with dark transverse

pat-terns (Ammoxenus) or pale yellow (Rastellus);

carapace: slightly longer than wide, narrower in

front extending to form a horizontal clypeus in

Ammoxenus, while in Rastellus the carapace is

oval, truncated in front and at back; chelicerae:

modified in both genera, in Ammoxenus the main

portion curves downwards and are covered with

numerous obtuse spines (Ammoxenus) while in

Rastellus it is provided with a distal rastelliform

digging scoop; eyes: 8 in 2 rows in a compact

group on a small protuberance; abdomen: oval,

covered with dense, recumbent, plumose setae;

legs: leg formula 4321, in Ammoxenus the tarsi is

long, flexible and pseudo-segmented and it curl up

in dead specimens

• Web and retreat: web: absent; retreat: during

non-active periods Ammoxenus is found

con-cealed in a sac-like retreat made in the soil-humps

of the harvester termite made during excavations

of their subterranean nests Rastellus, is similarly

adapted to life in sand and they excavate burrow 4

-6 cm deep

• Habitat: they are mainly recorded from Grassland,

Savanna , Nama-Karoo and Succulent Karoo

Bi-omes They are usually more abundant in areas

where termites (Hodotermes sp and

Psam-motermes spp.) occur

• Behaviour: Ammoxenus is extremely fast moving

spiders that travel rapidly over the soil surface When disturbed they have the ability to dive head first into sand They actively prey on the termites which they selectively choose, kill and then

dragged into loose sand were are found near mite nests (Hodotermes spp) Rastellus was also

ter-found in close association with termites

(Psammotermes spp)

• Taxonomic note: the family Ammoxenidae are

fairly well studied with several papers on their

behaviour A revision of the Ammoxenus was

un-dertaken by Dippenaar & Meyer (1980 ) with a second revision by Bird & Dippenaar-Schoeman (in prep) The new species recognized included in bold Two papers have been published on the

Rastellus species (Platnick & Griffin, 1990;

Had-dad, 2003)

• References:

BIRD, T & DIPPENAAR-SCHOEMAN, A.S (in prep.) A

revision of the spider genus Ammoxenus (Araneae: enidae Zootaxa

Ammox-DIPPENAAR, A.S & MEYER, M.K.P 1980 On the species

of the African genus Ammoxenus (Araneae: Ammoxenidae) with description of two new species Journal of the Entomo-

logical Society of southern Africa 43: 41-49

DIPPENAAR-SCHOEMAN, A.S., DE JAGER, M & VAN DEN BERG, A 1996a Behaviour and biology of two species

of the termite-eating spiders, Ammoxenus amphalodes and A

pentheri (Araneae: Ammoxenidae), in South Africa African Plant Protection 2: 15-17

DIPPENAAR-SCHOEMAN, A.S., DE JAGER, M & VAN

DEN BERG, A 1996b Ammoxenus species (Araneae:

Am-moxenidae) – specialist predators of harvester termites in

South Africa African Plant Protection 2: 103-109

HADDAD, C R 2003 A new species of Rastellus (Araneae:

Ammoxenidae) from South Africa African Zoology 38:

400-401

PLATNICK N I & GRIFFIN E 1990 On Rastellus, a new

genus of the spider family Ammoxenidae (Araneae,

Gna-phosoidea) American Museum Novitates 2995: 1-11

Trang 23

Ammoxenus amphalodes Dippenaar & Meyer, 1980

Distribution in South Africa: Free State: Bloemfontein (-29.11, 26.22); Bloemfontein (Spesbona)

-29.07, 26.15); Bothaville (-27.38, 26.62); Bothaville (Kromvlei/Rusthoek) (-27.31, 26.74); Florisbad search Station (-28.77, 26.07); Kroonstad (-27.65, 27.24); Vredefort (Rheboksfontein) (-27.05, 27.37)

Re-Gauteng: Abe Bailey Nature Reserve (-26.36, 27.40); Bryanston (-26.046, 28.023); Hartbeesfontein

(-26.76, 26.39); Heidelberg (-26.5, 28.36); Pretoria/Tshwane (Rietondale Research Station) (-25.73, 28.23); Roodeplaatdam Nature Reserve (-25.64; 28.36); Norscott Koppies Nature Reserve (-26.20, 28.04); Midrand, Waterfall (-25.95, 28.14); Randburg (-26.1, 27.92); Knoppieslaagte (-29.95, 27.97)

Limpopo: Springbok Flats (Tuinplaas) (-24.56, 28.46); Mosdene Nature Reserve (-24.52, 28.7);

Nylsvley Nature Reserve (-24.65, 28.67); Pietersburg (-23.89, 29.46); Polokwane Nature Reserve (-23.9, 29.47); Settlers (-24.95, 28.52); Marble Hall (-25.00, 29.29); Waterberg (Vyeboompoort) (-24.33,

28.33) North West: Kroondal (-25.8, 27.32) KwaZulu-Natal: Pongola (Farm Vergeval, 11 km SSE)

(-27.35, 31.61)*; Hluhluwe Nature Reserve (-28.09, 32.1); Mkuzi Game Reserve (-27.6, 32.25) malanga: Marble Hall (-24.96, 29.29); Piet Retief (-27.00, 30.79)

Mpu-Habitat (biomes): GB, SB

Records from agro-ecosystems: cotton (1)

Ammoxenus barrus Bird & Dippenaar-Schoeman (in prep)

Distribution in South Africa: Western Cape: Cederberg Wilderness Area (-32.16, 18.89);

Stellen-bosch (-33.93, 18.85)

Habitat (biomes): FB, SKB

Known distribution: South Africa, Namibia*

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Ammoxenus celatus Bird & Dippenaar-Schoeman (in prep)

Distribution in South Africa: Northern Cape: Hanover (-30.94, 24.53) Western Cape: Prince Albert

(-33.22, 22.03); Prince Albert (Farm Botterkraal NE) (-33.11, 22.31); Prince Albert (Tierberg) (-33.85, 22.05)*; Ashton, nr Robertson (-33.83, 20.06); Worcester (-33.64, 19.47); Matjiesfontein (-33.24,

20.58) Eastern Cape: Jansenville (Farm Suurhoek) (-32.87, 24.47)

Habitat (biomes): FB, NKB

Ammoxenus coccineus Simon, 1893

Distribution in South Africa: type locality only as Afrique australe* Gauteng: Roodeplaat Research

Station (-25.66, 28.35) Mpumalanga: Goedehoop Forest (-30.07, 23.07); Nelshoogte Forest Reserve (-25.83,30.83) Northern Cape: Bingap 184 (-28.90, 22.98); 70 km SE Kakamas (-28.12, 20.27); Ben-

fontein Nature Reserve (-28.82, 24.82); Langberg 138 (-28.92, 24.60); 10 km from Hopetown, Belmont (-29.61, 24.02); 4 km W of Hopetown (-29.62, 24.02); Coboop duine (-28.75, 19.35); Groblershoop (Farm Koedoesnek) (-28.81,22.53); Strydenburg (-29.95,23.68); Green Valley Nuts Estate Prieska

(-29.68, 22.74) North West: Molopo, near Vostershoop (-25.75, 22.95); Vorsterhoop (-25.84, 23.02); Uitsig farm (-27.2, 22.37) Western Cape: Calvinia (Gifkop 166) (-29.95, 19.40); Kenhardt

(Swartduinkop) (-29.40, 21.18); Beaufort West from the following farms: Farm 394 (-32.96, 23.67), Farm de Pannen (-32.69, 23.43), Farm Eerste Water (-32.69, 22.96), Farm Nuwerjaarsfontein (-32.57, 23.23), Farm Juriesfontein (-32.53, 23.43), Farm Groot Kraanvogelfontein (-32.92,23.64), Farm

Katdoornkuil (-33.19, 23.26)

Habitat (biomes): GB, NKB, SB

Known distribution: Botswana, Namibia, South Africa*, Zambia

Trang 25

Ammoxenus crispatus Bird & Dippenaar-Schoeman (in prep)

Distribution in South Africa: Northern Cape: Riemvasmaak (-28.45, 20.3)

Known distribution: South Africa, Namibia*

Ammoxenus confusus Bird & Dippenaar-Schoeman (in prep)

Distribution in South Africa: Northern Cape: Belmore (10 km from Hopetown) (-29.62, 24.06) Western Cape: Prince Albert (Tierberg) (-33.85, 22.05)*; Matjiesfontein (-33.24, 20.58)

Habitat (biomes): FB, NKB, SB

Trang 26

Ammoxenus jacobsi Bird & Dippenaar-Schoeman (in prep)

Distribution in South Africa: Western Cape: Beaufort West: Farm 151b (-32.32, 23.45), Farm Vaalkuil (-32.81, 22.78)

Ammoxenus deani Bird & Dippenaar-Schoeman (in prep)

Distribution in South Africa: Western Cape: Prince Albert: Tierberg (-33.85, 22.05)*, Heuweltjie

(-33.15,22.7) Northern Cape: Belmore, 10 km from Hopetown (-29.62, 24.06); Matjiesfontein

(-33.24, 20.58); Belmont (-29.42,24.36)

Habitat (biomes): FB, NKB, SKB

Trang 27

Ammoxenus kalaharicus Benoit, 1972

Distribution in South Africa: Northern Cape: Steinkopf (-29.25, 17.73) Western Cape: Piketberg

(Lang Vlei 102) (-32.75, 18.5); Porterville (-32.99, 18.99); Prince Albert (Tierberg) (-33.85,22.05); lenbosch (-33.93, 18.85)

Stel-Habitat (biomes): FB, SKB

Known distribution: Botswana*, South Africa

Ammoxenus pedifer Bird & Dippenaar-Schoeman (in prep)

Distribution in South Africa: Western Cape: Cederberg Wilderness Area: Aan Het Berg (251masl)

(-32.28, 18.53), Aan Het Berg (258 masl) (-32.28, 18.53), Cederberg (643 masl) (-32.4, 19.09),

Cederberg (677 masl) 32.4, 19.09), Cederberg (1187masl) 32.46, 19.24), Cederberg (1547masl) 32.39, 19.15);Crystal Pools ( 927masl) (-32.31, 19.17), Crystal Pools (1125 masl) (-32.33, 19.14), Crys-tal Pools (1135 masl) (-32.33, 19.14), Crystal Pools (1141 masl) (-32.33, 19.15), Crystal Pools (1298m) (-32.35, 19.14), Wupperthal (515 masl) (-32.28, 19.22), Wupperthal (522 masl) (-32.28, 19.22), Wup-perthal(524 masl) (-32.28, 19.22), Wupperthal (531 masl) (-32.28, 19.22)

(-Habitat (biomes): FB, SKB

Trang 28

Ammoxenus profundus Bird & Dippenaar-Schoeman (in prep)

Distribution in South Africa: Northern Cape: Kimberley (Resolution, Albany) (-33.43, 26.77)* ern Cape: Alice, nr Fort Beaufort (-32.78, 26.62); Andries Vosloo Kudu Reserve (-33.13, 26.65); Ecca

East-Pass Nature Reserve (-33.2, 26.5);13 km N Grahamstown direction Fort Beaufort (-33.2, 26.51); Great Fish River Reserve: Farm Buckland (-33.06, 26.87), Farm Hermanuskraal (-33.05, 26,78)

Habitat (biomes): NKB, TB

Ammoxenus pentheri Simon, 1896

Distribution in South Africa: Eastern Cape: Mountain Zebra National Park (-32.24, 25.43); Cradock

(-32.16, 25.16); Kirkwood (Dunbrody, nr Blue Cliff) (-33.38, 25.45); Addo Elephant National Park (-33.32, 25.72); Middelburg (-31.49, 24.99); Jansenville from following farms: Farm Osplaas 20 km NWW) (-32.88,24.5), Farm Suurhoek (-32.87,24.47), Farm Matjiesfontein (-32.83,24.44); Alicedale

(-33.31, 26.08) KwaZulu-Natal: Van Reenen Pass (-28.37, 29.38) Northern Cape: Kimberley

(Langberg) (-29.92, 24.60); Victoria West (-31.40, 23.12); Colesberg (Vogelsfontein 71) (-30.62, 25.30)

Western Cape: Karoo National Park (Lammetjieslaagte) (-32.18, 22.19); Ashton (-33.83, 20.06);

Wil-lowmore (-33.30, 23.30); Swartberg Nature Reserve (Gamkaskloof) (-33.36, 21.69); Beaufort West from following farms; Farm Bokvlei (-32.73, 23.59), Farm Katdoorkuil (-33.19, 23.26), Farm 151b (-32.32, 23.45), Farm Eerste Water (-32.69, 22.96), Farm De Pannen (-32.69, 23.43), Farm Nuwejaarsfontein (-32,57, 23.23), Farm 394 (-32.96, 23.67); Klaarstroom (-33.33, 22.54); Wellwood 518 (-31.59, 24.58); Prince Albert (Farm Botterkraal) (-33.11, 22.31); Prince Albert (Tierberg) (-33.85, 22.05)

Habitat (biomes): FB, NKB, SB, SKB, TB

Known distribution: South Africa, Botswana*

Trang 29

Rastellus deserticola Haddad, 2003

Distribution in South Africa: Northern Cape: Prieska (Green Valley Nuts Estate) (-29.68, 22.74)*;

Cederberg Wilderness Area (-32.16, 18.89)

Habitat (biomes): NKB, SKB

Ammoxenus psammodromus Simon, 1910

Distribution in South Africa: Eastern Cape: Vryburg (-26.95, 24.73) Free State: Boshof (Farm

Ellies-dal 1062) (-28.8, 25.52); FarmTable (-28.72, 24.92); Florisbad Research Station (-28.77, 26.07); sdal, Kimberley Rd (-29.18, 24.77); Boshof (Krugersdriftdam) (-28.72, 24.92); Request (-28.60, 24.85)

Jacob-Limpopo: Blouberg Nature Reserve ( -22.99, 29.04); Dendron (Farm Amsterdam (-23.37, 29.32) Western Cape: Willowmore (-33.30, 23.30)

Habitat (biomes): GB, NKB, SB

Known distribution: Botswana*, Namibia, South Africa

Trang 30

Rastellus florisbad Platnick & Griffin, 1990

Distribution in South Africa: Free State: Florisbad Research Station (-28.77, 26 08) Limpopo:

Blouberg Nature Reserve (-22.99, 29.04); Springbok Flats (Tuinplaas) (-24.56, 28.46); Thabazimbi (-24.60, 27.38); Kruger National Park (5 km N of Letaba Camp) (-23.83, 31.58); Makalali Nature Re-serve (-24.34, 30.93)

Habitat (biomes): GB, SB

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The Anapidae occur worldwide, but are more common

in tropical and southern temperate forests Three

gen-era are known from South Africa represented by 4

species of which 3 are endemic to the region

• Common name: ground orb-web weavers

• Life style: anapids are cryptozoic and found in the

litter layer Some genera produce webs

• Body size: very small spiders (< 2 mm)

• Diagnostic characters: colour: various hues of

brown (reddish to yellowish); carapace: modified

with ocular region elevated; pedicel arising from

circular, rimmed cavity on posterior declivity;

glan-dular openings situated in hollow pits on edge of

carapace at anterolateral corners; labrum bears

anterior spur that projects forward between

che-licerae (discernible when cheche-licerae are spread

apart), sometimes reduced to a small crest;

abdo-men: spherical, soft with only some sclerotized

areas in female, with large scutum in male; legs:

three claws; legs short, without spines; metatarsi

shorter than tarsi; femora I of male with a short

spine ventrally; eyes 6-8 arranged in pairs;

hap-logyne; spermathecae well separated; male palp

variable, femur and patella sometimes with

bris-tles or apophyses; embolus varies from spiniform

in Pseudanapis to short and wide in Crozetulus.

• Web: in some genera a horizontal orb-web is

made close to the soil surface.

• Habitat: found in the litter layer in the Fynbos,

Nama-Karoo, Savanna and Thicket Biomes

• Behaviour: Some are free-living in the litter and

humus while other build small, horizontal

orb-webs slightly drawn up in the centre Crozetulus

scutatus has been collected from caves

• Taxonomic note: very little is known about the

South African fauna Litter surveys indicate that

there are several undescribed species

• References:

BRIGNOLI, 1981 New or interesting Anapidae

(Arachnida, Araneae) Revue suisse de zoologie 88:

109-134

LAWRENCE R.F 1964 New cavernicolous spiders of

South Africa Annals of the South African Museum 48:

57-75

WUNDERLICH J 1995 Drei bisher unbekannte Arten

und Gattungen der Familie Anapidae (s.1) aus Afrika, Brasilien und Malaysia (Arachnida: Araneae)

Süd-Beiträge zur Araneologie 4: 543-548

Trang 32

Crozetulus rhodesiensis Brignoli, 1981

Distribution in South Africa: Western Cape: Karoo National Park (Pienaar's Pass) (-32.28, 22.46);

Bontebok National Park (-34.07, 20.45); Brenton-on-Sea (-34.1, 23.03); Table Mountain National Park (Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve) (-34.24, 18.41); Diepwalle Forest Station (-34.03, 23.03); De

Hoop Nature Reserve (De Hoop Vlei) (-34.45, 20.44) Limpopo: Entabeni Forest (-23.00, 30.23);

Laju-ma Mountain Retreat (-23.03, 29.45) KwaZulu-Natal: iSiLaju-mangaliso Wetland Park: Sodwana Bay

Na-tional Park (-27.40, 32.76)

Habitat (biomes): FB, FoB,NKB, SB

Known distribution: Namibia, South Africa, Zimbabwe*

Crozetulus scutatus (Lawrence, 1964)

Distribution in South Africa: Western Cape: Muizenberg (Boomslang Cave) (-34.10, 18.47); Table

Mountain National Park: Table Mountain (Wynberg Caves) (-34.05, 18.45)*, Table Mountain (Bats Cave) (-33.82, 18.48)

Trang 33

Dippenaaria luxurians Wunderlich, 1995

Distribution in South Africa: Eastern Cape: Grahamstown (-33.30, 26.52)*

Habitat (biomes): TB

Metanapis bimaculata (Simon, 1895)

Distribution in South Africa: Western Cape: type locality only as Cape*

?

Trang 34

The family Anyphaenidae is represented by more than

500 species worldwide but only one species

Amaurobi-oides africana Hewitt, 1917 is recorded from Namibia

and South Africa

• Common name: sea-shore spiders

• Life style: ground dwellers; free-running intertidal

spiders

• Body size: 10-17 mm (males slightly smaller in

size)

• Diagnostic characters: colour: various shades

of brown with the carapace reddish brown, darker

around eyes and abdomen with distinct chevron

patterns dorsally and pale ventrally; carapace:

ovoid, longer than wide and sparsely covered with

setae; chelicerae: long and slender, slightly

pro-jecting to the front with strong fangs; eyes: 8 eyes

arranged in 2 recurved rows, on a low mound

pro-jecting over the clypeus; abdomen: elongate-oval

with a light covering of short setae with longer

dark setae scattered in between; legs: of median

length with leg formula 1423

• Web and retreat: web: absent; retreat: during the

non-active periods the spider hide in the empty

shells of various Mollusca, especially limpets The

spider lines the interior of the empty shells with

silk to make them waterproof before it is being

submerged at high tide

• Habitat: Rocky coastal areas

• Behaviour: Found in the higher shore regions in

the zone extending from high water neaps to high

water springs: an area infrequently flooded by salt

water of rocky coasts In areas with strong wave

action, the spider lines the interior of the empty

shells with silk to make them waterproof and

enough air is retained to enable the spiders to

survive periods of prolonged immersion Oxygen

is possibly exchanged through the web's surface The retreats are mainly located in crevices or under rocks in the spray zone between high water neaps and high water springs In areas where the wave action is weak, the spiders take refuge under rocks and seldom build a nest They then use the water-repellent setae of their bodies to entrap

a thin layer of air The female guards her young in the silk retreat once they have hatched

• Taxonomic note: Lamoral (1968, 1971) reported

on their taxonomy and behaviour

• References:

HEWITT, 1917 Descriptions of new South African

Arachnida Annals of the Natal Museum 3: 687-711

LAMORAL, B.H 1968 On the ecology and habitat

adaptations of two intertidal spiders, Desis formidabilis (O.P.-Cambridge) and Amaurobioides africanus

(Hewitt), at “The island” (Kommetjie, Cape Peninsula),

with notes on the occurrence of two other spiders

An-nals of the Natal Museum 20: 151-193

LAMORAL, B.H 1971 These spiders are “drowned”

every day African Wildlife 25: 7-10

Trang 35

Amaurobioides africana Hewitt, 1917

Distribution in South Africa: Eastern Cape: Jeffrey's Bay (-34.06, 24.91); Port Alfred (-33.58, 26.85);

Kei River Mouth (-32.68, 28.37); East London (-33.01, 27.90)*.Western Cape: Hermanus (Vermont)

(-34.4, 19.25); Hermanus (Voëlklip) (-34.41, 19.26); De Hoop Nature Reserve (Koppie Alleen) (-34.28; 20.30); Betty's Bay (-34.34, 18.94); Kommetjie (The Island) (-34.16, 18.34); Pringle Bay (-34.3, 18.83); Rooi Els Berg (-34.25, 18.58)

Habitat (biomes): coastal rocky areas

Known distribution: South Africa*, Namibia

Conservation status: endemicity: 2; abundance: 1[3]

Trang 36

The family Araneidae has a worldwide distribution with an enormous diversity of > 2600 species In South Africa the family is represented by 35 genera and 95 species of which 26 species are endemics The genera are very diverse in shape, colour, size and behaviour and are grouped in the following subfamilies Araneinae, Argiopinae, Cyrtarachninae Cyrtophorinae and Gasteracanthinae

• Genera with common names:

Araneinae: Arachnura (scorpion-tail spiders); Caerostris (bark

spiders); Cyclosa (garbage-line spiders); Cyphalonotus (twig

spiders); Hypsosinga Neoscona, Araneus (hairy field spiders);

Pararaneus (spicky hairy field spiders); Nemoscolus (stone-nest

spiders); Kilima, Larinia and Lipocrea (grass orb-web spiders);

Singa (pajama spiders) Argiopinae: Argiope (garden orb-web

spiders); Argiope trifasciata (banded orb-web spiders); Argiope

australis (butter spider or black and yellow banded spider)

Cyrtarachninae: Cladomelea (bolas spiders); Pycnacantha

(hedgehog spiders); Paraplectana (lady bird spiders); Aethriscus

and Cyrtarachne (bird-dropping spiders) Cyrtophorinae:

Cyr-tophora (tropical tent-web spiders) Gasteracanthinae:

Gaster-acantha (kite spider); Isoxya (box spiders)

• Life style: web dwellers (typical orb-web); webs usually made in

and between vegetation

• Body size: vary between genera (3-30 mm), (males usually

smaller, with distinct sexual dimorphism)

• Diagnostic characters: vary between genera Colour: varies

from cream to brown to greyish black or brightly coloured; colour

allows spider to blend in with environment when resting;

cara-pace: variable smooth or with numerous protuberances

especial-ly in species found on bark; eyes: 8 in 2 rows (4:4); abdomen:

variable, usual as wide as long overhanging the carapace,

cov-ered with protuberances or patterns, sometimes elongated; legs:

not very long, when at rest kept close to body

• Web and retreat: web: the spider hangs head down in the

mid-dle of the orb-web or is found in a retreat close by The web can

be either horizontal or vertical It consists of bridge lines, radii

and a circular area, which are usually made of adhesive threads

The shape, number of radii and position of webs vary between

the different genera; retreat: some genera construct a

tunnel-shaped retreat of silk and plant debris on one side of the web

The spider is then in contact with the web with a signal trip-line

• Habitat: found in a variety of habitats Commonly found in

Sa-vanna, Nama-Karoo, Succulent Karoo, Fynbos Biomes and open

forest

• Behaviour: most species are nocturnal and procryptic by day

resting with their bodies appressed against the substrate The

orb-web spiders have poor vision and locate their prey by feeling

the vibrations and tensions of the web They wrap their prey with

alternating movements of their fourth pairs of legs by pulling the

silk from the spinnerets and throwing large bands of silk over the

prey

• Taxonomic notes: Bjorn (1997), Emerit (1973)and Grasshoff

(1968-86) revised several genera, but most still need to been

Trang 37

revised There are also numerous specimens that

could not be identified

• References:

ACKERMAN, C 1923 A comparison of the habitats of

a South African spider, Cladomelea, with those of an

Australian Dicrostichus Annals of the Natal Museum

5: 83-88

BJÖRN, P.P 1997 A taxonomic revision of the

Afri-can part of the orb-weaving genus Argiope (Araneae,

Araneidae) Entomologia Scandinavia 28: 199-239

EMERIT, M 1973 Contribution à la connaissance des

Araneidae Gasteracanthinae du sud-est africain: les

Gastéracanthes du Natal Museum Annals of the Natal

Museum 21: 675-695

GRASSHOFF M 1968 Morphologische Kriterien als

Ausdruck von Artgrenzen bei Radnetzspinnen der Sub

-familie Araneinae (Arachnida: Araneae: Araneidae)

Abhandlungen von der senckenbeqischen

naturfor-schenden Gesellschaft 516, 100 pp

GRASSHOFF M 1970a Die Gattung Kilima n.gen

(Arachnida: Araneae: Araneidae) Senckenbergiana

biologica 51:119 -128

GRASSHOFF M 1970b Die Tribus Mangorini I Die

Gattungen Eustala, Larinia s.str Larinopa n.gen

(Arachnida: Araneae: Araneidae-Araneinae)

Senck-enbergiana biologica 51:209-234

GRASSHOFF M 1970c Die Tribus Mangorini II Die

neuen Gattungen Siwa, Paralarinia, Faradja,

Mahem-bea und Larinia (Arachnida: Araneae: Araneidae -

Ara-neinae) Senckenbergiana biologica 51:409-423

GRASSHOFF M 1971a Die Tribus Mangorini Ill Die

Gattung Drexelia MacCook (Arachnida: Araneae:

Ara-neidae – Araneinae) Senckenbergiana biologica 52:

81-95

GRASSHOFF M 1971b Die Tribus Mangorini IV Die

Mangora-Gruppe (Arachnida: Araneae: Araneidae -

Araneinae) Senckenbergiana biologica 52:293-311

GRASSHOFF M 1984 Die Radnetzspinnen-Gattung

Caerostris (Arachnicia: Araneae) Revue de Zoologie

africaine 98: 725-765

Grasshoff M 1986 Die Radnetzspinnen-Gattung

Ne-oscona in Afrika (Arachnida: Araneae) Annales du

Musée royal de I’Afrique Centrale 250, 123 pp

GRASSHOFF M & EDMUNDS J 1979 Arancus

le-gonensis n sp (Araneidae: Araneae) from Ghana,

West Africa and its free sector web Bulletin of the

Brit-ish Arachnological Society 4: 303-309

DIPPENAAR-SCHOEMAN, A.S & LEROY A 1996

Notes on the biology of Pycnacantha tribulus,

anoth-er araneid without an orbweb (Araneae: Araneidae)

Revue suisse de zoologie (hors série): 165-171

DIPPENAAR-SCHOEMAN A.S & JONES A 2009

First record of a bird-dropping spider of the genus

Cyrtarachne from South Africa (Araneae:

Aranei-dae) SANSA News 8: 15-16

LEROY, J., JOCQUÉ, R & LEROY, A 1998 On

the behaviour of the African bolas-spider

Cladomelea akermani Hewitt (Araneae, Araneidae,

Cyrtarachninae), with description of the male

An-nals of the Natal Museum 39: 1-9

Trang 38

Acusilas africanus Simon, 1895

Distribution in South Africa: Eastern Cape: Mazeppa Bay (-32.47, 28.64); Jeffrey's Bay (-34.06,

24.91) KwaZulu-Natal: Ndumo Game Reserve (-26.87, 32.24); Richards Bay (-28.78, 32.1) Limpopo:

Makalali Nature Reserve (-24.34, 30.93)

Habitat (biomes): FoB, SB, TB

Known distribution: Cameroon*, Gabon, Sierra Leone, South Africa

Aethriscus olivaceus Pocock, 1902

Distribution in South Africa: Gauteng: Johannesburg (-26.2; 28.04); Pretoria/Tshwane (-25.74,

28.19). Eastern Cape: Bathurst (-33.5, 26.84) KwaZulu-Natal: Shakaskraal (-29.41, 31.26);

iSiman-galiso Wetland Park (St Lucia) (-28.00, 32.48); Dukuduku Forest Station (-28.37, 32.23) langa: Hendriksdal Plantation (-25.2, 30.75); Burgers Hall (-25.08, 31.06) Limpopo: Letaba (-23.82,

Mpuma-30.16)

Habitat (biomes): FoB, GB, SB, TB

Records from agro-ecosystems: citrus (2)

Known distribution: Congo Republic*, South Africa

Trang 39

Afracantha camerunensis (Thorell, 1899)

Distribution in South Africa: Eastern Cape: Cwebe Nature Reserve (-32.28, 28.9) KwaZulu-Natal:

Ndumo Game Reserve (-26.87, 32.24); Mbuluzi Game Reserve (-25.73, 32.00); iSimangaliso Wetland

Park (Hell’s Gate) (-28.0, 32.48) Limpopo: Kruger National Park (Macile Piket) (-22.93, 31.02)

Habitat (biomes): SB

Known distribution: Cameroon*, Congo Republic, Ghana, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia, Uganda

Arachnura scorpionoides Vinson, 1863

Distribution in South Africa: Eastern Cape: East London (-33.01, 27.9); Port Elizabeth (-33.95,

25.61) KwaZulu-Natal: iSimangaliso Wetland Park: False Bay Park 27.92, 32.27), Fanie’s Island

(-28.1, 32.45), Lake Sibayi (-27.35, 32.7), Mkuzi Game Reserve (-27.63, 32.25), Sodwana Bay National Park (-27.4, 32.76); Ndumo Game Reserve (-26.87, 32.24); Phinda Game Reserve (-27.72, 32.38);

Vernon Crookes Nature Reserve (-30.27, 30.57) Limpopo: Lajuma Mountain Retreat (-23.03, 29.45); Makalali Nature Reserve (-24.34, 30.93) Mpumalanga: Lowveld National Botanical Gardens (-25.47,

31.0); Pilgrims Rest (-24.89, 30.75); Schagen (-25.43, 30.8); Hazyview (-25.03, 31.12) North West:

Brits (-25.62, 27.77) Western Cape: Bellville (-33.9, 18.63); Stilbaai (-34.36, 21.43); Tsitsikamma

Na-tional Park (-33.98, 23.52)

Habitat (biomes): FB, SB, TB

Records from agro-ecosystems: cotton (1), citrus (1)

Known distribution: Congo Republic, Ethiopia, Madagascar*, Mauritius & Rodriquez, South Africa

Trang 40

Araneus apricus (Karsch, 1884)

Distribution in South Africa: Gauteng: Pretoria (-25.74, 28.19); Ezemvelo Nature Reserve (-25.8,

28.77); Magaliesburg (-25.99, 27.54); Roodeplaatdam Nature Reserve (-25.64, 28.36); Wonderboom

Nature Reserve (-25.69, 28.19) KwaZulu-Natal: iSimangaliso Wetland Park: Mkuzi Game Reserve

(-27.63, 32.25 ), Kosi Bay Nature Reserve (-26.93, 32.87); Tembe Elephant Park (-26.94, 32.47); moth (-28.57, 31.39); Ndumo Game Reserve (-26.87, 32.24); Pongola (Farm Vergeval) (-27.35, 31.61);

Mel-Umgeni Valley Nature Reserve (-29.47,30.2) Limpopo: Alma (-24.49; 28.07); Kampersrus (Farm

Ma-drid) (-24.48, 30.83); Mosdene Nature Reserve (-24.52, 28.7); Nylstroom/ Modimolle (-24.69, 28.4); Nylsvley Nature Reserve (-24.65, 28.67); Polokwane Nature Reserve (-23.9, 29.47); Rust de Winter (-25.19, 28.63); Acornhoek, Sandringham Nature Reserve (-24.58, 31.1); Lajuma Mountain Retreat (-23.03, 29.45); Little Leigh (Western Soutpansberg) (-22.95, 29.87); Letaba (-23.82, 30.16); Bandelier-

kop (-23.3, 29.79); Kruger National Park (-22.93, 31.06); Hoedspruit (-24.34, 30.93) Mpumalanga:

Badplaas (-25.95, 30.56); Brondal (-25.35, 30.84); Burgers Hall (-25.08, 31.08); Loskop Dam Nature Reserve (-25.46, 29.23); Lowveld National Botanical Gardens (-25.47, 31.0); Nelspruit (-25.47, 30.96)

North West: Borakalalo Game Reserve (-25.14, 27.82); Hartbeespoortdam (-25.73, 27.85); Kroondal

(-25.75, 27.32); Olifantsnekdam (-25.8, 27.25); Pelindaba (-25.8, 27.9); Rustenburg Nature Reserve

(-25.72, 27.18); Rhenosterspruit Conservancy (-26.9, 26.38) North Cape: Hopetown (Farm Suffolk) -29.58, 24.24) Western Cape: De Hoop Nature Reserve (-34.45, 20.44)

Araniella sp 1

Distribution in South Africa: Eastern Cape: Hogsback (32.59, 26.92); Keurkloof (Farm Ferndale)

(Baviaanskloof) (-33.68, 24.83); Port Elizabeth (-33.95, 25.61); Qachas Nek (-30.12, 28.68) Gauteng: Ezemvelo Nature Reserve (-25.8, 28.77) KwaZulu Natal: Ndumo Game Reserve (-26.87, 32.24);

Tembe Elephant Park (-27.03, 32.43); iSimangaliso Wetland Park: Hellsgate (-28.00, 32.48), Mkuze Game Reserve (-27.63, 32.25); Ophathe Game Reserve (-28.52, 31.66); Vryheid Nature Reserve

(-27.75, 30.79); Highmoor (-29.3, 29.59) Limpopo: Lajuma Mountain Retreat (-23.03, 29.45);

Polo-kwane Nature Reserve (-23.9, 29.47); Nylstroom/Modimolle (-24.69, 28.4); Pafuri (Waller's Camp) (-22.42, 30.91); Entabeni Nature Reserve (-22.99, 30.26); Tshulu Camp (Venda) (-22.57978, 30.808);

Little Leigh (Western Soutpansberg) (-22.95, 29.87); Blouberg Nature Reserve (-22.99, 29.04) malanga: Lowveld National Botanical Gardens (-25.47, 31); Marble Hall (-24.96, 29.29); Kruger Nation-

Mpu-al Park (Pretoriuskop) (-25.15, 31.2) Western Cape: Saasveld Forest Station (-33.95, 22.53)

Habitat (biomes): FoB, GB, SB, TB

Known distribution: cosmopolitan

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