Biology:Spiroctenus pallidipes
| Touws River Spiroctenus Trapdoor Spider | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Mygalomorphae |
| Family: | Bemmeridae |
| Genus: | Spiroctenus |
| Species: | S. pallidipes
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| Binomial name | |
| Spiroctenus pallidipes Purcell, 1904
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Spiroctenus pallidipes is a species of spider in the family Bemmeridae. It is endemic to the Western Cape province of South Africa.[1]
Distribution
Spiroctenus pallidipes is known only from the type locality at Worcester, at the Touws River Station.[2]
Habitat
The species inhabits the Fynbos Biome and constructs vertical burrows that are enlarged at a depth of 18-23 centimeters into a chamber, with an additional small chamber in the upper wall used as a retreat during danger.[2] The burrows lack a lid or turret.
Description
Both sexes of Spiroctenus pallidipes are known to science.[3] The spider is pale yellowish in color. The carapace with chelicerae is reddish yellow, with the rest being faintly infuscated. The opisthosoma shows a well-defined pattern composed of a series of transverse dark or purplish stripes united by a median longitudinal stripe. The legs are very pale yellowish. The total length is 12.5 millimeters.[3]
Conservation
The species is listed as Data Deficient for taxonomic reasons, as more sampling is needed to collect females and determine the species range.[2]
References
- ↑ "Spiroctenus pallidipes Purcell, 1904". World Spider Catalog. http://www.wsc.nmbe.ch/species/22359. Retrieved 19 September 2025.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S.; Haddad, C.R.; Foord, S.H.; Lotz, L.N. (2021). The Bemmeridae of South Africa. Version 1. South African National Survey of Arachnida Photo Identification Guide. Irene. pp. 1-41. doi:10.5281/zenodo.7810486.
This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Purcell, W.F. (1904). "Descriptions of new genera and species of South African spiders". Transactions of the South African Philosophical Society 15: 115-173.
Wikidata ☰ Q2474419 entry
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