Diores griswoldorum

Griswold's Igloo spider
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Infraorder: Araneomorphae
Family: Zodariidae
Genus: Diores
Species:
D. griswoldorum
Binomial name
Diores griswoldorum
Jocqué, 1990[1]

Diores griswoldorum is a species of spider in the family Zodariidae.[2] It occurs in southern Africa and is commonly known as Griswold's Igloo spider.[3]

Distribution

Diores griswoldorum is found in Namibia and South Africa.[2] In South Africa, it has been recorded from the Northern Cape province, including Richtersveld National Park, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, and Witsand Nature Reserve.[3]

Habitat

The species inhabits the Desert, Savanna, and Succulent Karoo biomes at altitudes ranging from 63 to 1197 metres above sea level.[3]

Description

Only the male of Diores griswoldorum is known, with a total length of 4.59 mm. The carapace and chelicerae are yellowish-orange, while the sternum and legs are pale yellow. The dorsum of the opisthosoma is pale with a pale yellow scutum reaching two-thirds of the abdomen length, flanked on each side by dark sepia stripes. The remainder of the abdomen is pale.[1]

Ecology

Diores griswoldorum are free-living ground-dwellers that construct the characteristic igloo-shaped retreats typical of the genus Diores.[3]

Conservation

The species is listed as Least Concern due to its wide geographical range. It is protected in Richtersveld National Park and Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park.[3]

References

  1. ^ a b Jocqué, R. (1990). "A revision of the Afrotropical genus Diores (Araneae, Zodariidae)". Annales, Musée Royal de l'Afrique Centrale, Sciences zoologiques. 260: 1–81.
  2. ^ a b "Diores griswoldorum Jocqué, 1990". World Spider Catalog. Retrieved 20 September 2025.
  3. ^ a b c d e Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S.; Jocqué, R.; Haddad, C.R.; Foord, S.H.; Lotz, L.N. (2024). The Zodariidae of South Africa. Part 1 (A-D) version 1. South African National Survey of Arachnida Photo Identification Guide. p. 67. doi:10.5281/zenodo.14404920. Retrieved 20 September 2025. This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.