| Tugela's Xysticus Ground Crab Spider | |
|---|---|
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| female | |
 | |
| female | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Araneomorphae |
| Family: | Thomisidae |
| Genus: | Xysticus |
| Species: | X. tugelanus |
| Binomial name | |
| Xysticus tugelanus | |
Xysticus tugelanus is a species of spider in the family Thomisidae. [2] It occurs in Lesotho and South Africa, and is commonly known as Tugela's Xysticus ground crab spider. [3]
Xysticus tugelanus occurs in two southern African countries: Lesotho and South Africa. In South Africa, the species is distributed across four provinces: Eastern Cape, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, and Western Cape. The species occurs at altitudes ranging from 62 to 2,894 m above sea level. [3]
Notable South African locations include Qachas Nek, Prentjiesberg, Jeffreys Bay, Baviaanskloof Nature Reserve, Kliprivierberg Nature Reserve, Cathkin Peak, Garden Castle, Kamberg Nature Reserve, Cathedral Peak, and Swartberg Nature Reserve. [3]
Xysticus tugelanus are ground dwellers that inhabit Fynbos, Grassland, and Thicket biomes. [3]
Xysticus tugelanus is listed as Least Concern by the South African National Biodiversity Institute due to its wide geographical range. The species is protected in four protected areas: Baviaanskloof Nature Reserve, Kliprivierberg Nature Reserve, Kamberg Nature Reserve, and Swartberg Nature Reserve. No conservation actions are recommended. [3]
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The species was originally described by Lawrence in 1942 from Cathedral Peak in KwaZulu-Natal. African species of Xysticus have not been revised. The species is known only from the female. [3]
This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.