Acusilas africanus
| African Rolled Leaf Orb-Web Spider | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Araneomorphae |
| Family: | Araneidae |
| Genus: | Acusilas |
| Species: | A. africanus
|
| Binomial name | |
| Acusilas africanus | |
Acusilas africanus is a species of spider in the family Araneidae, the only African species of its genus.[2] It is found from Cameroon to Tanzania and South Africa and is commonly known as the African rolled leaf orb-web spider.[3]
Distribution
Acusilas africanus has been recorded from Sierra Leone, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, and Tanzania.[2] In South Africa, it occurs in the provinces of Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, and Limpopo.[3]
Habitat and ecology
The species is known to occur in leaf litter in coastal dunes and inhabits the Forest, Indian Ocean Coastal Belt, Savanna, and Thicket biomes. It is found at altitudes ranging from 16 to 1,930 m above sea level.[3]
Acusilas africanus builds regular vertical orb-webs that incorporate a rolled leaf in the centre. The species is a web-dweller with nocturnal habits.[3]
Description
Conservation
Acusilas africanus is listed as Least Concern by the South African National Biodiversity Institute due to its wide geographical range. In South Africa, it is protected in Ndumo Game Reserve and Makalali Nature Reserve.[3]
Taxonomy
The species was originally described by Eugène Simon in 1895 from Sierra Leone. It has been reviewed by Schmidt & Scharff (2008) and is known from both sexes.[3]
References
- ^ Simon, E. (1895). "Histoire naturelle des araignées. Deuxième édition, tome premier". Roret, Paris: 785. doi:10.5962/bhl.title.51973.
- ^ a b "Acusilas africanus Simon, 1895". World Spider Catalog. Retrieved 2025-09-26.
- ^ a b c d e f Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S.; Haddad, C.R.; Foord, S.H.; Lotz, L.N.; Webb, P. (2022). The Araneidae of South Africa. Version 2: part 1 (A-C). South African National Survey of Arachnida Photo Identification Guide. p. 7. doi:10.5281/zenodo.6326922. This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.