Caesetius politus

Caesetius politus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Infraorder: Araneomorphae
Family: Zodariidae
Genus: Caesetius
Species:
C. politus
Binomial name
Caesetius politus
Simon, 1893[1]
Synonyms

Tryssoclitus politus Simon, 1910

Caesetius politus is a species of spider in the family Zodariidae.[2] It is endemic to South Africa.[3] The species is considered a probable nomen dubium as it is known only from juvenile specimens.[3]

Distribution

Caesetius politus is known only from Makapansgat in Limpopo province, South Africa.[3]

Habitat

The type locality is situated in the Savanna biome at an altitude of 1417 m above sea level.[3]

Description

Known only from a juvenile specimen. The carapace and chelicerae are pale brown, while the sternum and legs are yellow. The opisthosoma dorsum is grey with a series of seven chevrons in front of the spinnerets, mottled sides, and a pale venter with two longitudinal dark stripes. The description resembles that of Caesetius inflatus.[3]

Ecology

Caesetius politus are presumed to be free-living ground-dwellers like other members of the genus.[3]

Conservation

The species is listed as Data Deficient due to insufficient knowledge about its habitat, distribution, and threats. More sampling is needed to collect adult specimens and determine the species' true range.[3]

References

  1. ^ Simon, E. (1893). "Études arachnologiques. 25e Mémoire. XL. Descriptions d'espèces et de genres nouveaux de l'ordre des Araneae". Annales de la Société Entomologique de France. 62: 299–330.
  2. ^ "Caesetius politus Simon, 1893". World Spider Catalog. Retrieved 20 September 2025.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g 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. 24. doi:10.5281/zenodo.14404920. Retrieved 20 September 2025. This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.