Pactactes

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Pactactes
Pactactes trimaculatus 313270766 565708979.jpg
female P. trimaculatus
Pactactes obesus 303046082 546187643.jpg
female P. obesus
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Infraorder: Araneomorphae
Family: Thomisidae
Genus: Pactactes
Simon [1]
Type species
Pactactes trimaculatus
Species
  • Pactactes compactusLawrence, 1947
  • Pactactes obesusSimon, 1895
  • Pactactes trimaculatusSimon, 1895

Pactactes is an African genus of spiders in the family Thomisidae, with three species. It was first described in 1895 by Simon. [1]

Contents

Description

Pactactes spiders have a dark and shiny carapace with white spots on the abdomen. The carapace is high and slightly flattened dorsally with numerous long setae on the edge of the declivity. [2]

Both eye rows are recurved. The lateral eyes are larger than the median eyes, close to the edge, and sit on a slight tubercle. The posterior median eyes are very small and closer to each other than to the laterals. The anterior medians are closer to each other than to the laterals. The median ocular quadrangle is wider than long and narrower anteriorly. [2]

The abdomen is round with striae around the lateral edge. The legs are almost the same length with slightly thickened tarsi. The legs bear feathered setae. [2]

Life style

P. compactus with ant prey Pactactes compactus 326085395.jpg
P. compactus with ant prey

Pactactes are rare spiders found on low vegetation. [2]

Species

As of October 2025, this genus includes three species: [1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Gen. Pactactes Simon, 1895". World Spider Catalog. doi:10.24436/2 . Retrieved 2025-10-07.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S.; Haddad, C.R.; Foord, S.H.; Lotz, L.N. (2020). The Thomisidae of South Africa. Part 2 My-R. Version 1. South African National Survey of Arachnida Photo Identification Guide. p. 25. doi:10.5281/zenodo.7513276. Creative Commons by small.svg  This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.