Zelotes broomi
| Stellenbosch Dark Ground Spider | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Araneomorphae |
| Family: | Gnaphosidae |
| Genus: | Zelotes |
| Species: | Z. broomi
|
| Binomial name | |
| Zelotes broomi (Purcell, 1907)[1]
| |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Zelotes broomi is a species of spider in the family Gnaphosidae.[2] It is commonly known as the Stellenbosch dark ground spider.[3]
Distribution
Zelotes broomi is endemic to the Western Cape of South Africa.[2] It is known from several localities throughout the province, at altitudes ranging from 32 to 1,502 m above sea level.[3]
Notable locations include the type locality of Stellenbosch, Table Mountain National Park, and Cederberg Wilderness Area.[3]
Habitat and ecology
The species inhabits the Fynbos and Succulent Karoo biomes. These are free-running spiders that are found under stones during the day.[3]
Description
Conservation
Zelotes broomi is listed as Least Concern by the South African National Biodiversity Institute due to its wide geographic range. There are no significant threats to the species. It is protected in Table Mountain National Park and Cederberg Wilderness Area.[3]
Taxonomy
The species was originally described by Purcell in 1907 from Stellenbosch as Melanophora broomi. It was revised by FitzPatrick in 2007. The species is known from both sexes.[3]
References
- ^ Purcell, W.F. (1907). "New South African spiders of the family Drassidae in the collection of the South African Museum". Annals and Magazine of Natural History. 7. 20 (118): 297–336, pl. 13-15. doi:10.1080/00222930709487339.
- ^ a b "Zelotes broomi (Purcell, 1907)". World Spider Catalog. doi:10.24436/2. Retrieved 2025-09-25.
- ^ a b c d e f Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S.; Haddad, C.R.; Foord, S.H.; Lotz, L.N. (2021). The Gnaphosidae of South Africa. Part 4 (Z). Version 1. South African National Survey of Arachnida Photo Identification Guide. p. 8. doi:10.5281/zenodo.7197783. This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.