Biology:Diores russelli
| Russell's Igloo spider | |
|---|---|
| |
| Male | |
| |
| Male | |
Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Araneomorphae |
| Family: | Zodariidae |
| Genus: | Diores |
| Species: | D. russelli
|
| Binomial name | |
| Diores russelli Jocqué, 1990[1]
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Diores russelli is a species of spider in the family Zodariidae.[2] It occurs in southern Africa and is commonly known as Russell's Igloo spider.[3]
Distribution
Diores russelli is found in Botswana and South Africa.[2] In South Africa, it has been recorded from the Free State province at Wyndford Guest Farm near Fouriesburg.[3]
Habitat
The species inhabits the Grassland biome at approximately 1601 metres above sea level.[3]
Description
Males of Diores russelli have a total length of 3.17 mm, while females measure 4.29 mm. The carapace is yellow with a black eye field and is slightly suffused with grey on the clypeus. The sternum is pale yellow, and the chelicerae and legs are yellow. The opisthosoma is pale sepia with a pale yellow scutum in the anterior half of the dorsum, followed by two sepia longitudinal bands with sinuous edges. Females have similar coloration but lack the dorsal scutum.[1]
Ecology
Diores russelli are free-living ground-dwellers that construct the characteristic igloo-shaped retreats typical of the genus Diores.[3]
Conservation
The species is listed as Least Concern due to its wide geographical range in southern Africa.[3]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Jocqué, R. (1990). "A revision of the Afrotropical genus Diores (Araneae, Zodariidae)". Annales, Musée Royal de l'Afrique Centrale, Sciences zoologiques 260: 1-81.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Diores russelli Jocqué, 1990". World Spider Catalog. http://www.wsc.nmbe.ch/species/43433. Retrieved 20 September 2025.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S.; Jocqué, R.; Haddad, C.R.; Foord, S.H.; Lotz, L.N. (2024). The Zodariidae of South Africa. Part 1 (A-D) version 1. South African National Survey of Arachnida Photo Identification Guide. pp. 77. doi:10.5281/zenodo.14404920. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14404920. Retrieved 20 September 2025.
This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Wikidata ☰ Q2449910 entry
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