Aethriscus
| Aethriscus | |
|---|---|
| A. olivaceus | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Araneomorphae |
| Family: | Araneidae |
| Genus: | Aethriscus Pocock, 1902[1] |
| Type species | |
| A. olivaceus Pocock, 1902
| |
| Species | |
| |
Aethriscus is a genus of African orb-weaver spiders first described by Reginald Innes Pocock in 1902.[2] The two described species are found in the DR Congo.[1] One of them was later also found in South Africa.[3]
They are rare spiders and resemble Cyrtarachne.[3]
Description
The total length of females ranges from 7 to 10 mm, while the size of males remains unknown.[3]
When viewed from above, the body displays a triangular shape. The carapace is olive-brown in color and appears smooth and shiny, featuring a small tubercle positioned at the level of the cephalic region constriction, while the median ocular area is narrower at the front. The abdomen has a shiny appearance and is olive yellow with darker humps, maintaining a triangular shape with a straight anterior border that contains 11 sigilla and blunt round humps, while the posterior area appears paler in color.[3]
The legs are olive-brown, very short in length, and fold around the body.[3]
Species
As of September 2025, this genus includes two species:[1]
- Aethriscus olivaceus Pocock, 1902 – DR Congo, South Africa (type species)
- Aethriscus pani Lessert, 1930 – DR Congo
References
- ^ a b c "Genus Aethriscus". World Spider Catalog. doi:10.24436/2. Retrieved 26 September 2025.
- ^ Pocock, R. I. (1902). "Some new African spiders". Annals and Magazine of Natural History. 10 (7): 315–330. doi:10.1080/00222930208678678.
- ^ a b c d e Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S.; Haddad, C.R.; Foord, S.H.; Lotz, L.N.; Webb, P. (2022). The Araneidae of South Africa. Version 2: part 1 (A-C). South African National Survey of Arachnida Photo Identification Guide. p. 9. doi:10.5281/zenodo.6326922. This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.