Rastellus florisbad
| Florisbad lesser termite feeding spider | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Araneomorphae |
| Family: | Gnaphosidae |
| Genus: | Rastellus |
| Species: | R. florisbad
|
| Binomial name | |
| Rastellus florisbad Platnick & Griffin, 1990[1]
| |
Rastellus florisbad is a species of spider in the family Gnaphosidae. It is endemic to South Africa, where it is known as the Florisbad lesser termite feeding spider.[2][3]
Etymology
The species is named after Florisbad, the type locality in the Free State province where it was first collected.
Distribution
R. florisbad is known from two localities in South Africa: the Florisbad Research Station in the Free State and Ndumo Game Reserve in KwaZulu-Natal. The species has a very limited known range at elevations from 140 to 1,283 meters above sea level.[3]
Habitat and ecology
This very small free-living ground dweller is adapted to life in sandy habitats. Like other Rastellus species, it uses its rastelliform digging scoop to excavate silk-lined burrows. The species has been sampled with pitfall traps from Grassland and Savanna biomes.[3]
Conservation status
The species is currently listed as Data Deficient due to its very limited known range and the need for additional sampling to determine its true distribution. It receives some protection in both known locations: the Florisbad Research Station and Ndumo Game Reserve.[3]
References
- ^ Platnick, N.I.; Griffin, E. (1990). "On Rastellus, a new genus of the spider family Ammoxenidae (Araneae, Gnaphosoidea)". American Museum Novitates. 2995: 1–11.
- ^ "Rastellus florisbad Platnick & Griffin, 1990". World Spider Catalog. Retrieved 19 September 2025.
- ^ a b c d Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S.; Haddad, C.R.; Foord, S.H.; Lotz, L.N.; Bird, T.L. (2020). "The Ammoxenidae of South Africa. Version 1". South African National Survey of Arachnida Photo Identification Guide: 1–20. doi:10.5281/zenodo.5913561. This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.