Neoscona theisi theisiella

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Theis' Neoscona Orb-Web Spider
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Infraorder: Araneomorphae
Family: Araneidae
Genus: Neoscona
Species:
N. t. theisiella
Binomial name
Neoscona theisi theisiella
(Tullgren, 1910) [1]

Neoscona theisi theisiella is a subspecies of spider in the family Araneidae. [2] It is commonly known as Theis' Neoscona orb-web spider and is an endemic species to Africa. [3]

Contents

Distribution

Neoscona theisi theisiella has a very wide distribution throughout Africa, occurring in West, Central, East Africa, Yemen, and Mozambique. The subspecies also occurs in South Africa and Eswatini. [3]

In South Africa, the subspecies is known from seven provinces at altitudes ranging from 38 to 1,556 m above sea level. [3]

Habitat and ecology

These are medium-sized orb-web spiders that make large orb-webs in vegetation at night. They remove the web early in the morning and rest on plants. The subspecies is commonly sampled from the Thicket, Grassland, and Savanna biomes. [3]

Description

Neoscona theisi theisiella is known from both sexes. These are medium-sized spiders measuring 6.5-10.5 mm in body length. [3]

Conservation

Neoscona theisi theisiella is listed as Least Concern by the South African National Biodiversity Institute due to its wide global distribution. There are no significant threats to the subspecies. It has been sampled from seven protected areas including Ndumo Game Reserve and Addo Elephant National Park. [3]

Taxonomy

The subspecies was originally described by Tullgren in 1910 as Aranea theisiella from Tanzania. It was revised by Grasshoff in 1986. [4]

References

  1. ↑ Tullgren, A. (1910). "Araneae. In: Wissenschaftliche Ergebnisse der Schwedischen Zoologischen Expedition nach dem Kilimandjaro". Sjöstedts Kilimandjaro-Meru Expedition. 20: 85–172. doi:10.5962/bhl.title.6622.
  2. ↑ "Neoscona theisi (Walckenaer, 1841)". World Spider Catalog. Retrieved 21 September 2025.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S.; Haddad, C.R.; Foord, S.H.; Lotz, L.N.; Webb, P. (2022). The Araneidae of South Africa. Version 2: part 3 (Ne-Z). South African National Survey of Arachnida Photo Identification Guide. p. 18. doi:10.5281/zenodo.6326991 . Retrieved 21 September 2025. Creative Commons by small.svg  This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.
  4. ↑ Grasshoff, M. (1986). "Die Radnetzspinnen-Gattung Neoscona in Afrika (Arachnida: Araneae)". Annalen Zoologische Wetenschappen. 250: 1–123.
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