Galeosoma planiscutatum
| Buffelsdraai Shield-Bum Trapdoor Spider | |
|---|---|
| Adult female from Lephalale, South Africa | |
| Adult male | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Mygalomorphae |
| Family: | Idiopidae |
| Genus: | Galeosoma |
| Species: | G. planiscutatum
|
| Binomial name | |
| Galeosoma planiscutatum Hewitt, 1919[1]
| |
Galeosoma planiscutatum is a species of spider in the family Idiopidae.[2] It is endemic to South Africa and is commonly known as the Buffelsdraai shield-bum trapdoor spider.[3]
Distribution
Galeosoma planiscutatum is recorded from three South African provinces: Gauteng, Limpopo, and North West. Notable locations include Groenkloof Nature Reserve in Gauteng, Kruger National Park in Limpopo, and Buffelsdraai in North West.[3]
Habitat and ecology
The species constructs silk-lined burrows in soil with the entrance closed by a wafer-type trapdoor. It inhabits the Grassland and Savanna biomes at altitudes ranging from 315 to 1,722 m above sea level.[3]
Description
-
female
-
male
Galeosoma planiscutatum is described only from females. The abdominal shield is oval and flat with a well-defined, upturned ridge all around. The surface is shallowly pitted.[3]
Conservation
Galeosoma planiscutatum is listed as Least Concern due to its sufficiently widespread distribution across three provinces. However, the species is threatened by urban development in the Gauteng portion of its range, and more sampling is needed to collect males and determine the species' abundance between Gauteng and Kruger National Park.[3]
Taxonomy
The species was originally described by John Hewitt in 1919 from Buffelsdraai in the North West Province.[1] The species has not been revised and remains known only from the female sex.[3]
References
- ^ a b Hewitt, J. (1919). "Descriptions of new South African Araneae and Solifugae". Annals of the Transvaal Museum. 6: 63–111.
- ^ "Galeosoma planiscutatum Hewitt, 1919". World Spider Catalog. Retrieved 22 September 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S.; Haddad, C.R.; Foord, S.H.; Lotz, L.N. (2021). The Idiopidae of South Africa. Version 1. South African National Survey of Arachnida Photo Identification Guide. p. 19. doi:10.5281/zenodo.6324502. Retrieved 22 September 2025. This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.