Hortipes luytenae

Ngome basket-legged spider
Conservation status
Data Deficient  (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Subphylum:	Chelicerata
Class:	Arachnida
Order:	Araneae
Infraorder:	Araneomorphae
Family:	Corinnidae
Genus:	Hortipes
Species:	H. luytenae
Binomial name
Hortipes luytenae Bosselaers & Ledoux, 1998 [1]

Hortipes luytenae is a species of spider in the family Corinnidae. ^[2] It is endemic to South Africa and is commonly known as the Ngome basket-legged spider. ^[3] It is the type species of the genus Hortipes . ^[2]

Distribution

Hortipes luytenae is endemic to KwaZulu-Natal province in South Africa. ^[3] It is known only from the type locality at Ngome State Forest. ^[3]

Habitat and ecology

The species inhabits the Savanna biome at 1,044 m above sea level. ^[3] It is strongly associated with leaf litter in forest habitats, specifically Southern Mistbelt Forest. ^[3] The species appears to be quite common locally, with over 170 specimens collected from pitfall traps at the type locality. ^[3]

Description

See also: Glossary of spider terms

Hortipes luytenae is known from both sexes. ^[3]

Conservation

Hortipes luytenae is listed as Data Deficient. ^[3] More sampling is needed to determine the species' range beyond the type locality. ^[3] The species is protected in a state forest and faces no known threats. ^[3]

References

1. Bosselaers, J.; Ledoux, J.-C. (1998). "Description of a new African genus, Hortipes (Araneae, Liocranidae)". Revue Arachnologique. 12: 147–152.
2. "Hortipes luytenae Bosselaers & Ledoux, 1998". World Spider Catalog. Retrieved 22 September 2025.
3. Haddad, C.R.; Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S.; Foord, S.H.; Lotz, L.N. (2023). The Corinnidae of South Africa. Version 1. South African National Survey of Arachnida Photo Identification Guide. p. 48. doi:10.5281/zenodo.8300753.  This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.