Austrachelas entabeni

Entabeni Long-Jawed Ground Spider
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Infraorder: Araneomorphae
Family: Gallieniellidae
Genus: Austrachelas
Species:
A. entabeni
Binomial name
Austrachelas entabeni
Haddad & Mbo, 2017

Austrachelas entabeni is a species of spider in the family Gallieniellidae. It is endemic to South Africa.[1]

Distribution

Austrachelas entabeni is known only from its type locality in Limpopo province: Entabeni Forest in the Soutpansberg Mountains, approximately 20 km north of Levubu, at an elevation of 1360 m above sea level.[2]

Habitat

The species inhabits Forest Biome environments and was sampled through litter sifting.[2]

Description

Only the female is known. The abdomen displays creamy-grey chevron markings dorsally and V-shaped mediolateral markings ventrally.[2]

Conservation

Austrachelas entabeni is listed as Data Deficient due to taxonomic reasons, being known only from the female. Additional sampling is needed to collect males and determine the species' range.[2]

References

  1. ^ "Austrachelas entabeni Haddad & Mbo, 2017". World Spider Catalog. Retrieved 19 September 2025.
  2. ^ a b c d Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S.; Haddad, C.R.; Mbo, Z.; Foord, S.H.; Lotz, L.N. (2020). The Gallieniellidae of South Africa (Report). South African National Survey of Arachnida Photo Identification Guide. pp. 1–37. doi:10.5281/zenodo.14065070. This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.