Cheiracanthium africanum
| African Sac Spider | |
|---|---|
| female | |
| female | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Araneomorphae |
| Family: | Cheiracanthiidae |
| Genus: | Cheiracanthium |
| Species: | C. africanum
|
| Binomial name | |
| Cheiracanthium africanum Lessert, 1921
| |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Cheiracanthium africanum is a species of spider in the family Cheiracanthiidae. It is an African endemic originally described from Tanzania and is recorded from 16 African countries.[1][2]
Distribution
In South Africa, the species is known from all nine provinces at elevations from 20-2398 m above sea level.[2]
Habitat
This species is a free-living plant dweller that constructs silk retreats in rolled-up leaves. It has been collected from a wide variety of habitats including gardens, grasslands, cultivated crops, shrubs, trees and from under stones. The species has been sampled from all floral biomes except Desert and Succulent Karoo.[2]
Conservation
Due to its wide geographical range, it is listed as Least Concern. It has been sampled from more than 20 protected areas.[2]
References
- ^ "Cheiracanthium africanum Lessert, 1921". World Spider Catalog. Natural History Museum Bern. Retrieved 20 September 2025.
- ^ a b c d Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S.; Haddad, C.R.; Foord, S.H.; Lotz, L.N. (2021). The Cheiracanthiidae of South Africa. Version 1. South African National Survey of Arachnida Photo Identification Guide. Irene. pp. 1–62. doi:10.5281/zenodo.6033586. This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.