Dresserus nigellus
| Dresserus nigellus | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Araneomorphae |
| Family: | Eresidae |
| Genus: | Dresserus |
| Species: | D. nigellus
|
| Binomial name | |
| Dresserus nigellus Tucker, 1920[1]
| |
Dresserus nigellus is a species of spider in the family Eresidae.[2] It is endemic to South Africa.[3] They are most commonly found from November to May.
Distribution
Dresserus nigellus is endemic to the Western Cape province of South Africa. The species has been recorded from Matroosberg and Gamkaberg Nature Reserve.[3]
Habitat and ecology
The species is rare and found in retreat webs made under rocks in the Fynbos biome. It inhabits areas at altitudes ranging from 980 to 1,161 m above sea level.[3]
Description
It has a dark coloured brown, yellow to grey skin with thin hair on its body. Its can grow from 7 mm to 20 mm with males usually being smaller than females.[4]
Dresserus nigellus is known only from females. The opisthosoma is infuscated testaceous and clothed with black setae.[3]
Conservation
Dresserus nigellus is listed as Data Deficient due to taxonomic reasons. The species has a very restricted range. The status remains obscure as males have not been collected, and more sampling is needed to determine the species' range. The species is protected in Gamkaberg Nature Reserve.[3]
Taxonomy
The species was originally described by Richard William Ethelbert Tucker in 1920 from Matroosberg. It has not been revised since its original description and remains known only from the female sex.[3]
References
- ^ Tucker, R.W.E. (1920). "Contributions to the South African Arachnid Fauna. II. On some new South African spiders of the families Barychelidae, Dipluridae, Eresidae, Zodariidae, Heracliidae, Urocteidae, Clubionidae". Annals of the South African Museum. 17: 439–488.
- ^ "Dresserus nigellus Tucker, 1920". World Spider Catalog. Retrieved 21 September 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S.; Haddad, C.R.; Foord, S.H.; Lotz, L.N. (2022). The Eresidae of South Africa. Version 2. South African National Survey of Arachnida Photo Identification Guide. p. 13. doi:10.5281/zenodo.6331366. Retrieved 21 September 2025. This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.
- ^ "Ground Velvet Spiders (Genus Dresserus)". iNaturalist. Retrieved 2026-01-20.