Pherecydes nicolaasi

Last updated

Nico's Pherecydes Crab Spider
Pherecydes nicolaasi 304223917 548411357.jpg
male
Pherecydes nicolaasi 304223917 548412025.jpg
male
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Infraorder: Araneomorphae
Family: Thomisidae
Genus: Pherecydes
Species:
P. nicolaasi
Binomial name
Pherecydes nicolaasi

Pherecydes nicolaasi is a species of spider in the family Thomisidae. [2] It is endemic to South Africa and is commonly known as Nico's Pherecydes crab spider. [3]

Contents

Distribution

Pherecydes nicolaasi is found in South Africa, [2] where it is known from the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, and Limpopo. [3]

Notable locations include Grahamstown, Ngome State Forest, Pietermaritzburg, Tembe Elephant Park, Umgeni Valley Nature Reserve, Luvhondo Nature Reserve, Polokwane Nature Reserve, Lekgalameetse Nature Reserve, and Magoebaskloof. [3]

Habitat and ecology

Pherecydes nicolaasi inhabits the Grassland, Thicket, Savanna, and Forest biomes at altitudes ranging from 91 to 1411 m. [3] These are tree and grass dwellers. [3]

Description

Conservation

Pherecydes nicolaasi is listed as Least Concern by the South African National Biodiversity Institute due to its wide geographical range. [3] The species is well protected in six reserves. [3]

Taxonomy

The species was originally described by Dippenaar-Schoeman in 1980 from Ngome State Forest in KwaZulu-Natal. [1] Both sexes are known. [3]

References

  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.
  2. 1 2 "Pherecydes nicolaasi Dippenaar-Schoeman, 1980". World Spider Catalog. Natural History Museum Bern: World Spider Catalog. doi:10.24436/2 . Retrieved 2025-10-01.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 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. 39. doi:10.5281/zenodo.7513276. Creative Commons by small.svg  This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.