Caesetius globicoxis
| Kosi Bay Caesetius Zodariid spider | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Araneomorphae |
| Family: | Zodariidae |
| Genus: | Caesetius |
| Species: | C. globicoxis
|
| Binomial name | |
| Caesetius globicoxis (Lawrence, 1942)[1]
| |
| Synonyms | |
|
Cydrelichus globicoxis Lawrence, 1942 | |
Caesetius globicoxis is a species of spider in the family Zodariidae.[2] It is endemic to South Africa and is commonly known as the Kosi Bay Caesetius Zodariid spider.[3]
Distribution
Caesetius globicoxis is endemic to South Africa, where it has been recorded from five provinces: Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, Limpopo, and Western Cape. Notable localities include Kosi Bay Nature Reserve, Ndumo Game Reserve, De Hoop Nature Reserve, and Kogelberg Nature Reserve.[3]
Habitat
The species inhabits multiple biomes including Fynbos, Indian Ocean Coastal Belt, Nama Karoo, and Savanna biomes at altitudes ranging from 15 to 1698 m above sea level. It has a widespread distribution.[3]
Description
Only males are currently known for this species. The carapace is dark reddish-brown with scattered white hairs that are more numerous on the cephalic portion. The legs and pedipalps are brown, with legs being paler at their apices. The opisthosoma is smoky black above with four white spots in the anterior half and a white bar above the spinnerets, along with several whitish chevron markings.[3]
Ecology
Caesetius globicoxis are free-living ground-dwellers.[3]
Conservation
The species is listed as Least Concern by the South African National Biodiversity Institute. Despite being known only from males, it has a wide geographical range and is protected in multiple reserves including De Hoop Nature Reserve, Ndumo Game Reserve, and Addo Elephant National Park.[3]
References
- ^ Lawrence, R.F. (1942). "A contribution to the araneid fauna of Natal and Zululand". Annals of the Natal Museum. 10: 141–190.
- ^ "Caesetius globicoxis (Lawrence, 1942)". World Spider Catalog. Retrieved 20 September 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S.; Jocqué, R.; Haddad, C.R.; Foord, S.H.; Lotz, L.N. (2024). The Zodariidae of South Africa. Part 1 (A-D) version 1. South African National Survey of Arachnida Photo Identification Guide. p. 21. doi:10.5281/zenodo.14404920. Retrieved 20 September 2025. This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.