| Willowmore Anyphops Flat Spider | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Araneomorphae |
| Family: | Selenopidae |
| Genus: | Anyphops |
| Species: | A. braunsi |
| Binomial name | |
| Anyphops braunsi (Lawrence, 1940) [1] | |
Anyphops braunsi is a species of spider in the family Selenopidae. [2] It is endemic to South Africa and is commonly known as the Willowmore anyphops flat spider. [3]
Anyphops braunsi is found in South Africa. [2] The species occurs in the Eastern Cape and Mpumalanga provinces, at altitudes ranging from 62 to 1050 m above sea level. [3]
The species inhabits Forest, Savanna, and Thicket biomes. [3] These are free-living cryptozoic nocturnal ground dwellers. Different species frequently occur sympatrically but occupy different microhabitats. The species has been collected on the ground in a pine plantation at Sabie, South Africa. [3]
The species is known only from females. [3] The carapace is light reddish brown, thoracic striae well defined, with some fine lines radiating from it, and a line from the striae bisecting the cephalic area and bifurcating behind the anterior median eyes. The chelicerae are a little darker than the carapace. [3]
The opisthosoma is rubbed, yellow above but with some darker spots and blotches above the spinners. The legs have dark bands. Tibia I and II have 6, metatarsus I and II have 3 pairs of inferior spines. Total length is 12 mm. [3]
Anyphops braunsi is listed as Least Concern due to its wide geographical range. [3] Threats to the species are unknown. It is protected in Baviaanskloof Nature Reserve and Bergvliet Forest Station. [3]
The species was originally described by R. F. Lawrence in 1940 as Selenops braunsi from Willowmore in the Eastern Cape. [1] It was transferred to the genus Anyphops by Benoit in 1968. [3]
This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.