Aphantaulax stationis
| Aphantaulax stationis | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Araneomorphae |
| Family: | Gnaphosidae |
| Genus: | Aphantaulax |
| Species: | A. stationis
|
| Binomial name | |
| Aphantaulax stationis | |
Aphantaulax stationis is a species of spider in the family Gnaphosidae.[2] It is endemic to southern Africa.[3]
Distribution
Aphantaulax stationis is found in Botswana and South Africa. In South Africa, the species has been recorded from two provinces, Eastern Cape and Western Cape.[3]
Habitat and ecology
The species is a free-living plant dweller sampled from Fynbos and Thicket biomes at altitudes ranging from 7 to 980 m above sea level.[3]
Description
The carapace is medium brown with darker mottling, with femora similar in colour, but legs, especially anterior pairs, lighter from patellae onwards. The abdomen is marked with white bands. Total length is 4.1-4.5 mm.[3]
Conservation
Aphantaulax stationis is listed as Least Concern by the South African National Biodiversity Institute due to its wide distribution range. The species is protected in Table Mountain National Park and De Hoop Nature Reserve.[3]
Taxonomy
The species was originally described by R.W.E. Tucker in 1923 from Hout Bay in the Western Cape. It has not been revised and is known from both sexes.[3]
References
- ^ Tucker, R. W. E. (1923). "The Drassidae of South Africa". Annals of the South African Museum. 19 (2): 251–437.
- ^ "Aphantaulax stationis Tucker, 1923". World Spider Catalog. doi:10.24436/2. Retrieved 24 September 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S.; Haddad, C.R.; Foord, S.H.; Lotz, L.N. (2021). The Gnaphosidae of South Africa. part 1 (A-D). South African National Survey of Arachnida Photo Identification Guide. p. 20. doi:10.5281/zenodo.7197174. This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.