| Congo Spitting Spider | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Araneomorphae |
| Family: | Scytodidae |
| Genus: | Scytodes |
| Species: | S. clavata |
| Binomial name | |
| Scytodes clavata | |
Scytodes clavata is a species of spider in the family Scytodidae. [2] It is commonly known as the Congo spitting spider and is found in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Africa. [3]
Scytodes clavata is known from two countries in Africa. In South Africa, it is recorded from two provinces: KwaZulu-Natal and Limpopo. The species is found at elevations ranging from 804 to 2,254 m above sea level. [3]
Scytodes clavata are wandering spiders commonly collected from under stones and in dark places on the soil surface in the Savanna biome. [3]
The carapace is strongly domed and decorated with particular strong setae inserted on small promontories. These setae feel arched forward and their end is truncated. [3]
Scytodes clavata is listed as Least Concern by the South African National Biodiversity Institute. Although the species is presently known only from one sex, it has a wide geographical range. There are no significant threats to the species. It is protected in three protected areas, Blouberg Nature Reserve, Lhuvhondo Nature Reserve, and Thatevondo State Forest. [3]
The species has not been revised and is known only from the female. An undescribed male has been collected from the Midlands. [3]
This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.