Pherecydes ionae

Iona Pherecydes Crab Spider
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Infraorder: Araneomorphae
Family: Thomisidae
Genus: Pherecydes
Species:
P. ionae
Binomial name
Pherecydes ionae

Pherecydes ionae is a species of spider in the family Thomisidae.[2] It is found in Africa and is commonly known as Iona Pherecydes crab spider.[3]

Distribution

Pherecydes ionae is found in Tanzania and South Africa.[2]

In South Africa, it is known from the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, and Limpopo.[3] Localities include Hogsback, and Kloof.[3]

Habitat and ecology

Pherecydes ionae inhabits the Savanna and Forest biomes at altitudes ranging from 1146 to 1307 m.[3] These are tree and grass dwellers.[3]

Description

Conservation

Pherecydes ionae is listed as Least Concern due to its wide geographic range in Africa.[3]

Taxonomy

The species was originally described by Dippenaar-Schoeman in 1980 from Tanzania.[1] Only the female is known.[3]

References

  1. ^ a b Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S. (1980). "The crab-spiders of southern Africa (Araneae: Thomisidae). 2. The genera Pherecydes Pickard-Cambridge, 1883 and Smodicinus Simon, 1895". Journal of the Entomological Society of South Africa. 43: 327–340.
  2. ^ a b "Pherecydes ionae Dippenaar-Schoeman, 1980". World Spider Catalog. Natural History Museum Bern. doi:10.24436/2. Retrieved 2025-10-01.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S.; Haddad, C.R.; Foord, S.H.; Lotz, L.N. (2020). The Thomisidae of South Africa. Part 2 My-R. Version 1. South African National Survey of Arachnida Photo Identification Guide. p. 37. doi:10.5281/zenodo.7513276. This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.