| Zululand Anyphops Flat Spider | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Araneomorphae |
| Family: | Selenopidae |
| Genus: | Anyphops |
| Species: | A. decoratus |
| Binomial name | |
| Anyphops decoratus (Lawrence, 1940) [1] | |
Anyphops decoratus is a species of spider in the family Selenopidae. [2] It is endemic to South Africa and is commonly known as the Zululand anyphops flat spider. [3]
Anyphops decoratus is found in South Africa. [2] The species occurs in four provinces: Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, and Mpumalanga, at altitudes ranging from 29 to 1245 m above sea level. [3]
The species inhabits Forest, Indian Ocean Coastal Belt, and Savanna biomes. [3] These are free-living cryptozoic nocturnal spiders. [3]
The species is known from both sexes. [3] The carapace is brown, narrowly margined with black, decorated with spots and short bars of black, including a row of black spots along the lateral margin, and a large one on each side of the stria along the posterior margin. The chelicerae are brown, with their inner margins black and a black dot on the outer side near the base. [3]
The opisthosoma is mottled with black spots and bars, creating a dark brown overall effect. All legs have very clearly defined black blotches and bands. The posterior surfaces of femora are white, and metatarsi have 2 distinct black bands. Anterior tibiae have 7 pairs of inferior spines. Total length is 6-9 mm. [3]
Anyphops decoratus is listed as Least Concern due to the wide geographical range. [3] There are no known threats to the species. It is protected in three reserves, Tembe Elephant Park, uMkhuze Game Reserve, and Lekgalameetse Nature Reserve. [3]
The species was originally described by R. F. Lawrence in 1940 as Selenops decoratus from Ingwavuma. [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.