| Spotted Arctosa Wolf Spider | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Araneomorphae |
| Family: | Lycosidae |
| Genus: | Arctosa |
| Species: | A. nivosa |
| Binomial name | |
| Arctosa nivosa (Purcell, 1903) | |
| Synonyms [1] | |
| |
Arctosa nivosa is a species of spider in the family Lycosidae. [1] It is endemic to South Africa and is commonly known as the spotted Arctosa wolf spider. [2]
Arctosa nivosa has been recorded from the provinces Eastern Cape, Northern Cape and Western Cape in South Africa at elevations ranging from 37 to 1531 m. [2]
The species is a free-running ground dweller sampled from the Fynbos and Thicket biomes. [2]
The species is known from both sexes, though only the female epigyne has been illustrated. [2]
The carapace is pale yellow below or at least paler, while the sides and dorsal surface are black. The dorsal surface has a median yellowish mark on the anterior half flanked by yellow spots on each side, with sometimes almost the whole dorsal surface broadly yellowish. [3]
The sides and dorsal surface are covered with numerous snow-white spots and patches. [3]
Arctosa nivosa is listed as Least Concern by the South African National Biodiversity Institute due to its wide geographic range. [2] The species is protected in Tsolwana Nature Reserve and Asante Sana Private Game Reserve. [2]
The species was originally described by William Frederick Purcell in 1903 as Lycosa nivosa from Retreat Flats in the Cape Peninsula. [3] Roewer revised the species in 1960. [4]
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