Pherecydes ionae

Iona Pherecydes Crab Spider
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Subphylum:	Chelicerata
Class:	Arachnida
Order:	Araneae
Infraorder:	Araneomorphae
Family:	Thomisidae
Genus:	Pherecydes
Species:	P. ionae
Binomial name
	Pherecydes ionae; Dippenaar-Schoeman, 1980

Last updated November 05, 2025

Pherecydes ionae is a species of spider in the family Thomisidae.^[2] It is found in Africa and is commonly known as Iona Pherecydes crab spider.^[3]

Distribution

Pherecydes ionae is found in Tanzania and South Africa.^[2]

In South Africa, it is known from the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, and Limpopo.^[3] Localities include Hogsback, and Kloof.^[3]

Habitat and ecology

Pherecydes ionae inhabits the Savanna and Forest biomes at altitudes ranging from 1146 to 1307 m.^[3] These are tree and grass dwellers.^[3]

Description

Conservation

Pherecydes ionae is listed as Least Concern due to its wide geographic range in Africa.^[3]

Taxonomy

The species was originally described by Dippenaar-Schoeman in 1980 from Tanzania.^[1] Only the female is known.^[3]

References

1 2 Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S. (1980). "The crab-spiders of southern Africa (Araneae: Thomisidae). 2. The genera Pherecydes Pickard-Cambridge, 1883 and Smodicinus Simon, 1895". Journal of the Entomological Society of South Africa. 43: 327–340.
1 2 "Pherecydes ionae Dippenaar-Schoeman, 1980". World Spider Catalog. Natural History Museum Bern. doi:10.24436/2 . Retrieved 2025-10-01.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 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. 37. doi:10.5281/zenodo.7513276. This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.

External links

Citizen science observations for Pherecydes ionae at iNaturalist

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[dippenaar1980-1] 1 2 Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S. (1980). "The crab-spiders of southern Africa (Araneae: Thomisidae). 2. The genera Pherecydes Pickard-Cambridge, 1883 and Smodicinus Simon, 1895". Journal of the Entomological Society of South Africa. 43: 327–340.

[wsc-2] 1 2 "Pherecydes ionae Dippenaar-Schoeman, 1980". World Spider Catalog. Natural History Museum Bern. doi:10.24436/2 . Retrieved 2025-10-01.

[dippenaar2020-3] 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 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. 37. doi:10.5281/zenodo.7513276. This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.

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