Araneus nigroquadratus
| Black-spotted Araneus Hairy Field Spider | |
|---|---|
| female | |
| male | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Araneomorphae |
| Family: | Araneidae |
| Genus: | Araneus |
| Species: | A. nigroquadratus
|
| Binomial name | |
| Araneus nigroquadratus Lawrence, 1937[1]
| |
Araneus nigroquadratus is a species of spider in the family Araneidae.[2] It is commonly known as the black-spotted Araneus hairy field spider.[3]
Distribution
Araneus nigroquadratus occurs in Namibia and South Africa. In South Africa, the species is known from six provinces at altitudes ranging from 0 to 1,842 m above sea level.[3]
Habitat and ecology
This orb-web spider constructs large orb-webs at night. The species has been sampled from the Savanna, Indian Ocean Coastal Belt, Grassland, Fynbos, and Thicket biomes. It has also been collected from pine plantations and tomato fields.[3]
Description
-
female
-
female
Conservation
Araneus nigroquadratus is listed as Least Concern by the South African National Biodiversity Institute due to its wide geographical range. The species is protected in more than 10 protected areas including Mkambathi Nature Reserve, Tembe Elephant Park, Addo National Park, and Lhuvhondo Nature Reserve.[3]
Taxonomy
The species was originally described by Reginald Frederick Lawrence in 1937 from Kosi Bay.[1] It has not been revised and identification of the male is still problematic.[3]
A. nigroquadratus is known only from a female specimen, with the male remaining undescribed.[3]
References
- ^ a b Lawrence, R.F. (1937). "A collection of Arachnida from Zululand". Annals of the Natal Museum. 8: 211–273.
- ^ "Araneus nigroquadratus Lawrence, 1937". World Spider Catalog. Retrieved 2025-09-25.
- ^ a b c d e f 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. pp. 21–22. doi:10.5281/zenodo.6326922. This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.