Biology:Geolycosa subvittata

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Short description: Species of spider

Cape Geolycosa wolf spider
Scientific classification edit
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Infraorder: Araneomorphae
Family: Lycosidae
Genus: Geolycosa
Species:
G. subvittata
Binomial name
Geolycosa subvittata
(Pocock, 1900)
Synonyms[1]
  • Roewer, 1955 Pocock, 1900
  • Tarentula subvittata Lycosa subvittata
  • Strand, 1907 Scaptocosa subvittata

Geolycosa subvittata is a species of spider in the family Lycosidae.[1] It is endemic to South Africa and is commonly known as the Cape Geolycosa wolf spider.[2]

Distribution

Geolycosa subvittata is found in the Eastern Cape and Western Cape provinces of South Africa.[2] Notable locations include Grahamstown (now Makhanda), Port Elizabeth, Table Mountain National Park, Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, and several other sites in the Cape region.[2]

Habitat and ecology

This species is a ground dweller known to live in burrows.[2]

It has been sampled from the Fynbos and Thicket biomes at altitudes ranging from 5 to 552 m.[2]

Description

Known from both sexes, Geolycosa subvittata is smaller than the related G. hectoria but has a similar dorsal color pattern. It has two yellow stripes on the abdomen. Ventrally, it bears a median longitudinal black stripe.[3]

The tibiae are not distinctly banded.[3]

Males measure 11 mm in total length, while females measure 14 mm.[3]

Conservation

The species has a large range and is protected in Table Mountain National Park and Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden.[2]

However, most specimens were sampled around 1900, and the species is threatened by loss of habitat.[2]

Taxonomy

The species was originally described by Pocock in 1900 as Lycosa subvittata from Port Elizabeth.[3] It was later revised by Roewer in 1959.[4]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 "Geolycosa subvittata (Pocock, 1900)". World Spider Catalog. https://wsc.nmbe.ch/species/19544. 
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S.; Haddad, C.R.; Foord, S.H.; Lotz, L.N. (2021). The Lycosidae of South Africa. Version 1: part 1 (A-H). South African National Survey of Arachnida Photo Identification Guide. p. 51. doi:10.5281/zenodo.6324709.  This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Pocock, R.I. (1900). "Some new Arachnida from Cape Colony". Annals and Magazine of Natural History. 7 6 (33): 327. doi:10.1080/00222930008678382. 
  4. Roewer, C.F. (1959). "Araneae Lycosaeformia II (Lycosidae)". Exploration du Parc National de l'Upemba, Mission G. F. de Witte 55: 386, f. 216a-d. 

Wikidata ☰ Q2112524 entry