Smodicinus coroniger is a species of crab spider in the family Thomisidae. It is the only species in the genus Smodicinus and is endemic to Africa.[1] It is commonly known as the crowned Smodicinus crab spider.
The specific name coroniger derives from the Latin corona (crown) and the suffix -iger (bearing), referring to the distinctive crown-like crest on the carapace.
Smodicinus coroniger is a free-living plant-dweller found primarily on trees in savanna, Indian Ocean Coastal Belt, and thicket biomes. It inhabits elevations ranging from 1 to 1,097 metres above sea level.[2]
Smodicinus coroniger is a small crab spider with a total length of 3–6 mm for both females and males.[2] The species is easily recognised by its highly distinctive carapace, which is elevated to form a prominent crest directed posteriorly. This crest is divided into six pointed tubercles that are flattened above: two tubercles point backwards (posteriorly) and four point sideways (laterally).[2]
The carapace is pale brown, suffused with yellow, and sometimes bears white markings on the edges. The sternum and mouthparts are yellowish-brown. Both eye rows are recurved, with the lateral eyes being larger than the median eyes.[2]
The opisthosoma is blackish and mottled with white or displays distinct white markings. The legs are the same color as the carapace and are banded with white.[2]
Behaviour and life cycle
Adult males have been recorded from November to March, while females occur from October to January.[3] The species is considered very rare and is mainly sampled from trees.[2]
Conservation status
Smodicinus coroniger is listed as Least Concern in South Africa due to its wide geographical range across multiple African countries.[2] The species is protected in eight protected areas and faces no known threats.[2]
Taxonomy
The genus Smodicinus was established by Eugène Simon in 1895, with S. coroniger as the type species.[4]Smodicinus affinis Lessert, 1943 was later synonymised with S. coroniger by Dippenaar-Schoeman in 1980.[3]
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S.; Haddad, C.R.; Foord, S.H.; Lotz, L.N. (2020). The Thomisidae of South Africa. Part 3 Sm-T. South African National Survey of Arachnida. pp.1–79. doi:10.5281/zenodo.7513278.
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.
↑ Simon, E. (1895). Histoire naturelle des araignées. Deuxième édition, tome premier. Paris: Roret. pp.761–1084. doi:10.5962/bhl.title.51973.
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