Phoroncidia eburnea

Last updated

Transvaal Mushroom Comb-Foot Spider
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Female
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Female
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Infraorder: Araneomorphae
Family: Theridiidae
Genus: Phoroncidia
Species:
P. eburnea
Binomial name
Phoroncidia eburnea
(Simon, 1895) [1]
Synonyms [2]
  • Ulesanis eburneaSimon, 1895

Phoroncidia eburnea is a species of spider in the family Theridiidae. [2] It is endemic to South Africa and Eswatini, and is commonly known as the Transvaal mushroom comb-foot spider. [3]

Contents

Distribution

Phoroncidia eburnea is only found in South Africa and Eswatini. [2]

In South Africa, the species has been sampled from the provinces Eastern Cape, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, and Northern Cape. Notable locations include Kruger National Park, Blouberg Nature Reserve, and Tswalu Kalahari Reserve. [3]

Habitat and ecology

This rare spider is sampled when sweeping low vegetation. [3]

Phoroncidia eburnea inhabits areas at altitudes from 1 to 1902 m above sea level. The species has been sampled from the Grassland, Indian Ocean Coastal Belt, and Savanna biomes. [3]

Description

Conservation

Phoroncidia eburnea is listed as Least Concern by the South African National Biodiversity Institute. Although known only from females, the species has a wide geographical range and has been sampled from eight protected areas. [3]

References

  1. Simon, E. (1895). "Etudes arachnologiques. 26e. XLI. Descriptions d'espèces et de genres nouveaux de l'ordre des Araneae". Annales de la Société Entomologique de France. 64: 131–160.
  2. 1 2 3 "Phoroncidia eburnea (Simon, 1895)". World Spider Catalog. Retrieved 2025-10-01.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S.; Haddad, C.R.; Foord, S.H.; Lotz, L.N. (2021). The Theridiidae of South Africa. Part 1 A-P. South African National Survey of Arachnida Photo Identification Guide. p. 56. doi:10.5281/zenodo.7515890. Creative Commons by small.svg  This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.