Stegodyphus sabulosus
| Dark Stegodyphus Velvet Spider | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Araneomorphae |
| Family: | Eresidae |
| Genus: | Stegodyphus |
| Species: | S. sabulosus
|
| Binomial name | |
| Stegodyphus sabulosus Tullgren, 1910[1]
| |
Stegodyphus sabulosus is a species of spider in the family Eresidae.[1] It is found in Kenya, Tanzania, Eswatini, and South Africa, where it is commonly known as the dark Stegodyphus velvet spider.[2]
Distribution
Stegodyphus sabulosus is found in four African countries: Kenya, Tanzania, Eswatini, and South Africa.[1] In South Africa, the species is recorded only from Kruger National Park at Nwambiya Pan in Limpopo province.[2]
Habitat and ecology
The species has been sampled from the Savanna biome at altitudes ranging from 319 to 418 m above sea level.[2]
Stegodyphus sabulosus constructs retreat-webs on vegetation.[2]
Description
Stegodyphus sabulosus is known only from the female.[2]
Conservation
Stegodyphus sabulosus is listed as Least Concern by the South African National Biodiversity Institute due to its wide geographical range. It is protected in Kruger National Park.[2]
Taxonomy
The species was originally described by Albert Tullgren in 1910 from Tanzania.[3] It was revised by Kraus & Kraus in 1989.[4]
References
- ^ a b c "Stegodyphus sabulosus Tullgren, 1910". 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. (2022). The Eresidae of South Africa. Version 2. South African National Survey of Arachnida Photo Identification Guide. p. 43. doi:10.5281/zenodo.6331366. Retrieved 22 September 2025. This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.
- ^ Tullgren, A. (1910). "Araneae. In: Wissenschaftliche Ergebnisse der Schwedischen Zoologischen Expedition nach dem Kilimandjaro, dem Meru und den umgebenden Massaisteppen Deutsch-Ostafrikas 1905-1906". Sjöstedts Kilimandjaro-Meru Expedition. 20 (6): 85–172. doi:10.5962/bhl.title.6622.
- ^ Kraus, O.; Kraus, M. (1989). "The genus Stegodyphus (Arachnida, Araneae). Sibling species, species groups, and parallel origin of social living". Verhandlungen des Naturwissenschaftlichen Vereins in Hamburg. 30: 151–254.