| Gauteng's Anyphops Flat Spider | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Araneomorphae |
| Family: | Selenopidae |
| Genus: | Anyphops |
| Species: | A. immaculatus |
| Binomial name | |
| Anyphops immaculatus (Lawrence, 1940) [1] | |
Anyphops immaculatus is a species of spider in the family Selenopidae. [2] It is endemic to South Africa and is commonly known as Gauteng's Anyphops flat spider. [3]
Anyphops immaculatus occurs in five South African provinces: Free State, Gauteng, Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, and Western Cape. Notable localities include Florida, Pretoria, Bloemfontein, East London, and Cathedral Peak. [3]
The species inhabits Fynbos, Grassland, and Thicket biomes at altitudes ranging from 52 to 1693 m above sea level. [3] These are free-living cryptozoic nocturnal ground living spiders that are sometimes found in houses. [3]
Known only from the male. The carapace is yellow-brown with thoracic striae and some very faint radiations from it a little darker, and eyes surrounded by a blackened area. The chelicerae are yellow brown. [3]
The opisthosoma is yellow with a few blackish brown spots. The legs are without markings except for two very faint brown bands on the anterior tibiae. The anterior tibiae have 5 pairs of inferior spines. [3]
Total length is 8.5 mm. [3]
Anyphops immaculatus is listed as Least Concern due to its wide geographical range. The species is protected in the Swartberg Nature Reserve and Amanzi Private Game Reserve. [3]
The species was originally described by Lawrence in 1940 as Selenops immaculatus from Florida in Gauteng. [1] It was later transferred to the genus Anyphops by Benoit in 1968. [3]
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