Anyphops basutus

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Lesotho Anyphops Flat Spider
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Infraorder: Araneomorphae
Family: Selenopidae
Genus: Anyphops
Species:
A. basutus
Binomial name
Anyphops basutus
(Pocock, 1901) [1]

Anyphops basutus is a species of spider in the family Selenopidae. [2] It occurs in southern Africa and is commonly known as the Lesotho Anyphops flat spider. [3]

Contents

Distribution

Anyphops basutus is found in Lesotho and South Africa. [2] In South Africa, the species occurs in the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal provinces, at altitudes ranging from 375 to 1690 m above sea level. [3]

Habitat and ecology

The species inhabits Forest and Indian Ocean Coastal Belt biomes. [3] These are free-living cryptozoic nocturnal ground dwellers. [3]

Description

The species is known only from females. [3] It resembles A. atomarius and A. spenceri in having seven pairs of tibial spines on leg I and II. Total length is 18 mm. [3]

Conservation

Anyphops basutus is listed as Least Concern due to its wide geographical range. [3] There are no known threats to the species. It is protected in Vernon Crookes Nature Reserve. More sampling is needed to determine the range. [3]

Taxonomy

The species was originally described by Reginald Innes Pocock in 1901 as Selenops basutus from Lesotho. [1] It was transferred to the genus Anyphops by Benoit in 1968. [3]

References

  1. 1 2 Pocock, R.I. (1901). "Descriptions of some new African Arachnida". Annals and Magazine of Natural History. 7: 288. doi:10.1080/00222930108678472.
  2. 1 2 "Anyphops basutus (Pocock, 1901)". World Spider Catalog. Retrieved 2025-09-27.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S.; Haddad, C.R.; Foord, S.H.; Lotz, L.N. (2020). The Selenopidae of South Africa. Version 1. South African National Survey of Arachnida Photo Identification Guide. p. 12. doi:10.5281/zenodo.7162139. Creative Commons by small.svg  This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.
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