Idiops gracilipes

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East London Idiops Trapdoor Spider
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Infraorder: Mygalomorphae
Family: Idiopidae
Genus: Idiops
Species:
I. gracilipes
Binomial name
Idiops gracilipes
(Hewitt, 1919) [1]
Synonyms
  • Acanthodon gracilipesHewitt, 1919

Idiops gracilipes is a species of spider in the family Idiopidae. [2] It is endemic to South Africa and is commonly known as the East London Idiops trapdoor spider. [3]

Contents

Distribution

Idiops gracilipes is an Eastern Cape endemic known only from the type locality East London at an altitude of 56 m above sea level. [3]

Habitat and ecology

The species inhabits the Thicket biome. It lives in silk-lined burrows closed with a trapdoor. [3]

Description

Idiops gracilipes is known from both sexes. The carapace and appendages are yellowish brown, while the abdomen is somewhat infuscated superiorly. Total length is 13 mm in males and 15 mm in females. [3]

Conservation

Idiops gracilipes is listed as Data Deficient due to insufficient knowledge about its distribution, habitat and threats. More sampling is needed to determine the species' range. [3]

Taxonomy

The species was originally described by John Hewitt in 1919 as Acanthodon gracilipes from East London. The species has not been revised. [3]

References

  1. ↑ Hewitt, J. (1919). "Descriptions of new South African Araneae and Solifugae". Annals of the Transvaal Museum. 6: 63–111.
  2. ↑ "Idiops gracilipes (Hewitt, 1919)". World Spider Catalog. Retrieved 23 September 2025.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S.; Haddad, C.R.; Foord, S.H.; Lotz, L.N. (2021). The Idiopidae of South Africa. Version 1. South African National Survey of Arachnida Photo Identification Guide. p. 38. doi:10.5281/zenodo.6324502 . Retrieved 23 September 2025. Creative Commons by small.svg  This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.
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