Biology:Diores setosus
| Winterhoek Igloo spider | |
|---|---|
Rare
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Araneomorphae |
| Family: | Zodariidae |
| Genus: | Diores |
| Species: | D. setosus
|
| Binomial name | |
| Diores setosus Tucker, 1920[1]
| |
Diores setosus is a species of spider in the family Zodariidae.[2] It is endemic to the Western Cape province of South Africa and is commonly known as the Winterhoek Igloo spider.[3]
Distribution
Diores setosus is known from two localities in the Western Cape: the Great Winterhoek Mountains where it was originally described, and Matroosberg.[3]
Habitat
The species inhabits the Fynbos biome in montane habitats at approximately 119 m above sea level.[3]
Description
Only the female of Diores setosus is known, with a total length of 4.94 mm. The carapace is light orange in the cephalic area and yellow in the thoracic area. The legs and sternum are yellow, while the chelicerae are orange. The opisthosoma has a sepia dorsum with a series of small chevrons in the posterior half, with the remainder of the abdomen being pale.[4]
Ecology
Diores setosus are free-living ground-dwellers that construct the characteristic igloo-shaped retreats typical of the genus Diores.[3]
Conservation
The species is listed as Rare. Although known from only one sex, it has a restricted distribution and occurs in montane habitats where it faces no threats. Additional sampling is needed to collect males and determine the species' range.[3]
References
- ↑ Tucker, R.W.E. (1920). "Contributions to the South African Arachnid Fauna. II. On some new South African spiders of the families Barychelidae, Dipluridae, Eresidae, Zodariidae, Heracliidae, Urocteidae, Clubionidae". Annals of the South African Museum 17: 439-488.
- ↑ "Diores setosus Tucker, 1920". World Spider Catalog. http://www.wsc.nmbe.ch/species/43437. 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. 79. 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.
- ↑ Jocqué, R. (1990). "A revision of the Afrotropical genus Diores (Araneae, Zodariidae)". Annales, Musée Royal de l'Afrique Centrale, Sciences zoologiques 260: 1-81.
Wikidata ☰ Q2060758 entry
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