Purcelliana problematica

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Purcelliana 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: Purcelliana
Species:
P. problematica
Binomial name
Purcelliana problematica
Cooke, 1964 [1]
Synonyms
  • Prodidomus scaberPurcell, 1904 (misidentification)

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

Contents

Distribution

Purcelliana problematica is known only from the Western Cape province of South Africa. [3] The species ranges in altitude from 613 to 614 m above sea level. [3] It has been recorded from Prince Albert and Anysberg Nature Reserve. [3]

Habitat and ecology

The species is a free-running ground dweller sampled from the Nama Karoo biome. [3]

Description

Conservation

Purcelliana problematica is listed as Data Deficient for taxonomic reasons. [3] The species is under-sampled and expected to be found in more localities. More sampling is needed to collect the female and determine the species' range. There are no known threats, and it is protected in the Anysberg Nature Reserve. [3]

Taxonomy

The species was described by J.A.L. Cooke in 1964 from Prince Albert. [1] It was originally misidentified by Purcell in 1904 as Prodidomus scaber . The species was revised by Rodrigues & Rheims in 2020 and is known only from the male. [3]

References

  1. 1 2 Cooke, J.A.L. (1964). "A revisionary study of some spiders of the rare family Prodidomidae". Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London. 142 (2): 257–305. doi:10.1111/j.1469-7998.1964.tb04625.x.
  2. ↑ "Purcelliana problematica Cooke, 1964". 26. World Spider Catalog. doi:10.24436/2 . Retrieved 24 September 2025.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 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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