Megamyrmaekion schreineri

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Schreiner's Curly-Legged Ground Spider
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Infraorder: Araneomorphae
Family: Gnaphosidae
Genus: Megamyrmaekion
Species:
M. schreineri
Binomial name
Megamyrmaekion schreineri
Tucker, 1923 [1]

Megamyrmaekion schreineri is a species of spider in the family Gnaphosidae. [2] It occurs in southern Africa and is commonly known as Schreiner's curly-legged ground spider. [3]

Contents

Distribution

Megamyrmaekion schreineri has a wide distribution across southern Africa. It is recorded from Namibia and five provinces of South Africa: Free State, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape, North West, and Western Cape, ranging from 7 to 1,385 m above sea level. [3]

Habitat and ecology

The species is a free-living ground dweller found in multiple biomes including Fynbos, Grassland, Nama Karoo, and Savanna biomes. [3]

Description

Only the male of M. schreineri is known. The carapace and legs are light yellowish-brown with faint bands between the border and centre. The abdomen is testaceous and covered with tawny pubescence. The sternum has dark rimming. Total length is 8 mm. [3]

Conservation

Megamyrmaekion schreineri is listed as Least Concern due to its wide range across southern Africa. The species is protected in ten protected areas including the Cederberg Wilderness Area, De Hoop Nature Reserve, and Tswalu Kalahari Reserve. [3]

Taxonomy

The species was described by Tucker in 1923 from Hanover in the Northern Cape. It has not been revised since the original description. [3]

References

  1. Tucker, R. W. E. (1923). "The Drassidae of South Africa". Annals of the South African Museum. 19 (2): 251–437.
  2. "Megamyrmaekion schreineri Tucker, 1923". World Spider Catalog. doi:10.24436/2 . Retrieved 25 September 2025.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S.; Haddad, C.R.; Foord, S.H.; Lotz, L.N. (2021). The Gnaphosidae of South Africa. Part 2 (E-S). Version 1. South African National Survey of Arachnida Photo Identification Guide. p. 26. doi:10.5281/zenodo.7197672 . Retrieved 25 September 2025. Creative Commons by small.svg  This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.