Diores simoni
| Simon's Igloo spider | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Araneomorphae |
| Family: | Zodariidae |
| Genus: | Diores |
| Species: | D. simoni
|
| Binomial name | |
| Diores simoni O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1904[1]
| |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Diores simoni is a species of spider in the family Zodariidae.[2] It is endemic to the Western Cape province of South Africa and is commonly known as Simon's Igloo spider.[3]
Distribution
Diores simoni is known from various localities in the Western Cape, including the Cape Peninsula, De Hoop Nature Reserve, and Tsitsikamma National Park.[3]
Habitat
The species inhabits the Forest and Fynbos biomes at altitudes ranging from 15 to 1346 metres above sea level. It has also been collected in pitfall traps from vineyards.[3]
Description
Males of Diores simoni have a total length of 3.28 mm, while females measure 3.98 mm. The carapace and chelicerae are greyish-yellow, while the sternum and legs are pale yellow. The dorsum of the opisthosoma is sepia with a pale brown scutum in the middle in males. Females have similar coloration but the dark dorsal area of the abdomen extends around the spinnerets.[4]
Ecology
Diores simoni are free-living ground-dwellers that construct igloo-shaped retreats with small stones, characteristic behavior of the genus Diores.[3]
Conservation
The species is listed as Least Concern due to its wide geographical range. It is conserved in five protected areas.[3]
References
- ^ Pickard-Cambridge, O. (1904). "Descriptions of some new species and characters of three new genera, of Araneidea from South Africa". Annals of the South African Museum. 3: 143–165.
- ^ "Diores simoni O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1904". World Spider Catalog. Retrieved 20 September 2025.
- ^ 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. 81. doi:10.5281/zenodo.14404920. Retrieved 20 September 2025. This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.
- ^ Jocqué, R. (1990). "A revision of the Afrotropical genus Diores (Araneae, Zodariidae)". Annales, Musée Royal de l'Afrique Centrale, Sciences zoologiques. 260: 1–81.