Moggridgea peringueyi
| Peringuey's Moggridgea Trapdoor Spider | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Mygalomorphae |
| Family: | Migidae |
| Genus: | Moggridgea |
| Species: | M. peringueyi
|
| Binomial name | |
| Moggridgea peringueyi Simon, 1903[1]
| |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Moggridgea peringueyi is a species of spider in the family Migidae.[2] It is endemic to South Africa and is commonly known as Peringuey's Moggridgea trapdoor spider.[3]
Etymology
The species is named after Louis Albert Péringuey, a French-born South African entomologist who made significant contributions to the study of southern African insects.
Distribution
Moggridgea peringueyi has a wide distribution across four South African provinces: Eastern Cape, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Northern Cape, and Western Cape. Notable locations include the Cederberg Wilderness Area, De Hoop Nature Reserve, and Karoo National Park.[3]
Habitat
The species inhabits multiple biomes including Grassland, Thicket, and Fynbos biomes at altitudes ranging from 7 to 1,463 m above sea level.[3]
Description
Moggridgea peringueyi is known from both sexes. It is a terrestrial trapdoor species that constructs cylindrical burrows closed with thick, D-shaped lids that overlap the mouth.[3]
Ecology
Burrows are typically found in open veld, but the species has also been collected under bark of Eucalyptus trees. Adult females were collected in February, May, and November, while males were collected in April, July, and October.[3]
Conservation
Moggridgea peringueyi is listed as Least Concern by the South African National Biodiversity Institute due to its wide range. The species is protected in eight protected areas including the Cederberg Wilderness Area, De Hoop Nature Reserve, Tswalu Kalahari Reserve, and Karoo National Park.[3]
Taxonomy
The species was originally described by Eugène Simon in 1903 from Matjiesfontein in the Western Cape. Charles E. Griswold's 1987 revision synonymized several species with M. peringueyi, including M. coegensis, M. lata, and M. nigra.[4]
References
- ^ Simon, E. (1903). "Descriptions d'arachnides nouveaux". Annales de la Société Entomologique de Belgique. 47: 21–39. doi:10.5962/bhl.part.25299.
- ^ "Moggridgea peringueyi Simon, 1903". World Spider Catalog. Retrieved 21 September 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S.; Haddad, C.R.; Foord, S.H.; Lotz, L.N. (2021). The Migidae of South Africa. Version 1. South African National Survey of Arachnida Photo Identification Guide. p. 17. doi:10.5281/zenodo.6735880. Retrieved 21 September 2025. This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.
- ^ Griswold, C.E. (1987). "The African members of the trap-door spider family Migidae (Araneae: Mygalomorphae) 1: the genus Moggridgea O. P.-Cambridge, 1875". Annals of the Natal Museum. 28: 1–118.