Philodromus brachycephalus
| Spotted Running Spider | |
|---|---|
| female | |
| female | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Araneomorphae |
| Family: | Philodromidae |
| Genus: | Philodromus |
| Species: | P. brachycephalus
|
| Binomial name | |
| Philodromus brachycephalus Lawrence, 1952[1]
| |
Philodromus brachycephalus is a species of spider in the family Philodromidae.[2] It is commonly known as the spotted running spider.[3]
Distribution
Philodromus brachycephalus is known from Tanzania and South Africa.[2] In South Africa, it is known from four provinces including six protected areas, with an altitudinal range of 48-1730 m above sea level.[3]
Habitat and ecology
The species are free-living plant dwellers sampled from vegetation. The species has been sampled from the Grassland, Savanna and Thicket biomes, and was also sampled from avocado and macadamia orchards.[3]
Description
-
female
-
female
Conservation
Philodromus brachycephalus is listed as Least Concern by the South African National Biodiversity Institute due to its wide range. The species is protected in six protected areas.[3]
Etymology
The specific name means "short-headed" in Greek.
Taxonomy
The species was originally described by Lawrence (1952) from Pietermaritzburg in South Africa. The genus has not been revised and the species is known only from the female.[3]
References
- ^ Lawrence, R.F. (1952). "New spiders from the eastern half of South Africa". Annals of the Natal Museum. 12: 183–226.
- ^ a b "Philodromus brachycephalus Lawrence, 1952". World Spider Catalog. Retrieved 21 September 2025.
- ^ a b c d e Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S.; Haddad, C.R.; Foord, S.H.; Lotz, L.N. (2022). The Philodromidae of South Africa. Version 2. South African National Survey of Arachnida Photo Identification Guide. p. 15. doi:10.5281/zenodo.6634009. Retrieved 21 September 2025. This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.