Aethriscus | |
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A. olivaceus | |
Scientific classification ![]() | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
Class: | Arachnida |
Order: | Araneae |
Infraorder: | Araneomorphae |
Family: | Araneidae |
Genus: | Aethriscus Pocock, 1902 [1] |
Type species | |
A. olivaceus Pocock, 1902 | |
Species | |
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Aethriscus is a genus of African orb-weaver spiders first described by Reginald Innes Pocock in 1902. [2] The two described species are found in the DR Congo. [1] One of them was later also found in South Africa. [3]
They are rare spiders and resemble Cyrtarachne . [3]
The total length of females ranges from 7 to 10 mm, while the size of males remains unknown. [3]
When viewed from above, the body displays a triangular shape. The carapace is olive-brown in color and appears smooth and shiny, featuring a small tubercle positioned at the level of the cephalic region constriction, while the median ocular area is narrower at the front. The abdomen has a shiny appearance and is olive yellow with darker humps, maintaining a triangular shape with a straight anterior border that contains 11 sigilla and blunt round humps, while the posterior area appears paler in color. [3]
The legs are olive-brown, very short in length, and fold around the body. [3]
As of September 2025 [update] , this genus includes two species: [1]