Prodidomus flavipes

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Zululand Prodidomus Pale Ground Spider
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Infraorder: Araneomorphae
Family: Prodidomidae
Genus: Prodidomus
Species:
P. flavipes
Binomial name
Prodidomus flavipes
Lawrence, 1952 [1]

Prodidomus flavipes is a species of spider in the family Prodidomidae. [2] It is endemic to South Africa and is commonly known as the Zululand Prodidomus pale ground spider. [3]

Contents

Distribution

Prodidomus flavipes is found only in KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa. [3] The species has a range in altitude from 13 to 646 m above sea level. [3] Recorded locations include Ingwavuma, iSimangaliso Wetland Park at Cape Vidal, Ndumo Game Reserve, and Tembe Elephant Park. [3]

Habitat and ecology

The species is a free-running ground dweller found in the Savanna biome. [3]

Description

Prodidomus flavipes is known only from the female, with a total length of 1.52 mm and cephalothorax width of 1.14 mm. [3]

The carapace is yellow-brown with a few faint radiating infuscations and a darker border, bearing some scattered inwards-pointing dark hairs. The posterior median indentation is rather deep, revealing more of the lorum than is usual. The abdomen is cream with a slight purplish tinge, particularly along the midline and posteriorly, where there are also a few narrow, pale indistinct chevrons. [3]

Conservation

Prodidomus flavipes is listed as Data Deficient for taxonomic reasons. [3] More sampling is needed to collect the male and determine the species' range. Threats to the species are unknown, but it is protected in Ndumo Game Reserve and Tembe Elephant Park. [3]

Etymology

The specific name is Latin meaning "yellow feet".

Taxonomy

The species was described by R.F. Lawrence in 1952 from Ingwavuma in KwaZulu-Natal. [1] It has not been revised since its original description and is known only from the female. [3]

References

  1. 1 2 Lawrence, R.F. (1952). "New spiders from the eastern half of South Africa". Annals of the Natal Museum. 12: 183–226.
  2. ↑ "Prodidomus flavipes Lawrence, 1952". 26. World Spider Catalog. doi:10.24436/2 . Retrieved 24 September 2025.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S.; Haddad, C.R.; Foord, S.H.; Lotz, L.N. (2023). The Prodidomidae of South Africa. 1. South African National Survey of Arachnida Photo Identification Guide. pp. 1–42. doi:10.5281/zenodo.7515818 . Retrieved 24 September 2025. Creative Commons by small.svg  This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.
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