Olios auricomis

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Zanzibar Olios Huntsman Spider
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Infraorder: Araneomorphae
Family: Sparassidae
Genus: Olios
Species:
O. auricomis
Binomial name
Olios auricomis
(Simon, 1880) [1]
Synonyms [2]
  • Midamus auricomisSimon, 1880
  • Sparassus schönlandiPocock, 1900
  • Sparassus rufilatusPocock, 1900
  • Eusparassus chiracanthiformisStrand, 1906
  • Olios ituricusStrand, 1913
  • Olios isongonisStrand, 1915
  • Olios paciferLessert, 1921
  • Nisueta flavescensCaporiacco, 1941
  • Olios chiracanthiformisCaporiacco, 1941
  • Olios rufilatusLessert, 1946
  • Olios schönlandiRoewer, 1955

Olios auricomis is a species of spider in the family Sparassidae. [2] It is found across much of Africa and is commonly known as the Zanzibar Olios huntsman spider. [3]

Contents

Distribution

Olios auricomis has a wide distribution across Africa, occurring in Cameroon, Gambia, Ethiopia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Zanzibar, Angola, and South Africa. [3]

In South Africa, the species is recorded from five provinces, Eastern Cape, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, and Mpumalanga. It has been collected at altitudes ranging from 27 to 1,383 m above sea level. [3]

Habitat and ecology

Olios auricomis are nocturnal plant dwellers that wander around on vegetation in search of prey. They construct silk retreats between two leaves that are held together with silk strands. The species inhabits multiple biomes including Grassland, Indian Ocean Coastal Belt, and Savanna biomes. It has also been recorded from avocado and macadamia orchards. [3]

Description

Olios auricomis is described as small to large sized within the Sparassidae family. When alive, specimens are green-coloured, but become yellowish when preserved in ethanol. The opisthosoma lacks a ventral patch. [3]

Conservation

Olios auricomis is listed as Least Concern by the South African National Biodiversity Institute due to its wide geographical range across Africa. In South Africa, the species is protected in several protected areas including Ezemvelo Nature Reserve, Ndumo Game Reserve, Lekgalameetse Nature Reserve, Kruger National Park, and Addo Elephant National Park. [3]

Taxonomy

The species was originally described by Eugène Simon in 1880 as Midamus auricomis from specimens collected in Zanzibar. A 2020 revision by Peter Jäger synonymized several previously recognized species with O. auricomis. [4]

References

  1. ↑ Simon, E. (1880). "Révision de la famille des Sparassidae (Arachnides)". Actes de la Société Linnéenne de Bordeaux. 34 (2/3/4): 223–351.
  2. 1 2 "Olios auricomis (Simon, 1880)". World Spider Catalog. Retrieved 2025-09-28.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S.; Haddad, C.R.; Foord, S.H.; Lotz, L.N. (2022). The Sparassidae of South Africa. Version 2. South African National Survey of Arachnida Photo Identification Guide. p. 14. doi:10.5281/zenodo.6614498. Creative Commons by small.svg  This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.
  4. ↑ Jäger, P. (2020). "The spider genus Olios Walckenaer, 1837 (Araneae: Sparassidae) – Part 1: species groups, diagnoses, identification keys, distribution maps and revision of the argelasius-, coenobitus- and auricomis-groups". Zootaxa. 4866 (1): 1–119. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4866.1.1.
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