| Zimbabwe Tube-Web Spider | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Araneomorphae |
| Family: | Segestriidae |
| Genus: | Ariadna |
| Species: | A. umtalica |
| Binomial name | |
| Ariadna umtalica | |
Ariadna umtalica is a southern African species of spider in the family Segestriidae. [2] It is commonly known as the Zimbabwe tube-web spider. [3]
Ariadna umtalica was originally described from Zimbabwe and is also recorded from Botswana and South Africa. [2] In South Africa, it is known only from the Northern Cape and Gauteng provinces. [3]
The species inhabits the Savanna biome and constructs tube signal-webs made in crevices of walls, rocks, fallen tree trunks, or bark of trees. Males have been found under stones. [3]
Females have a dark brown carapace with the ocular area black. Chelicerae are reddish-black. The abdomen is pallid, suffused with purplish. Legs are infuscated as in dark specimens of A. bilineata, with the two posterior pairs reddish-ochraceous and the anterior tibia and metatarsus blackish-red. The sternum and labium are brown, with the labium paler at apex. Total length is 12 mm. [3]
Ariadna umtalica is listed as Least Concern by the South African National Biodiversity Institute due to its wide geographical range across Africa. [3]
The species was originally described by W. F. Purcell in 1904 from Zimbabwe. Only females are described. [3]
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