Euprosthenopsis vuattouxi

Curvy-lined Euprosthenopsis Nursery-Web Spider
female
female
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Infraorder: Araneomorphae
Family: Pisauridae
Genus: Euprosthenopsis
Species:
E. vuattouxi
Binomial name
Euprosthenopsis vuattouxi
Blandin, 1977[1]

Euprosthenopsis vuattouxi is a species of spider in the family Pisauridae.[2] It is found in Africa and is commonly known as the curvy-lined Euprosthenopsis nursery-web spider.[3]

Distribution

Euprosthenopsis vuattouxi has a distribution across Africa. It is found in the Ivory Coast and South Africa.[3] In South Africa, it has been recorded from seven provinces at altitudes ranging from 1 to 1,478 m above sea level. This species is possibly under-collected and is suspected to occur in countries between Ivory Coast and South Africa.[3]

Habitat and ecology

Sheet-web pisaurids construct their webs in bushes but occasionally also between large grass tussocks. They construct sheet webs in low vegetation. The species has been sampled from the Grassland, Nama Karoo, and Savanna biomes.[3]

Description

Conservation

Euprosthenopsis vuattouxi is listed as Least Concern by the South African National Biodiversity Institute due to its wide geographical range. There are no significant threats to the species, and it has been sampled from eight protected areas including Mkambati Nature Reserve, Roodeplaatdam Nature Reserve, Ezemvelo Nature Reserve, Ndumo Game Reserve, Blouberg Nature Reserve, Kruger National Park, Polokwane Nature Reserve, and Tswalu Game Reserve.[3]

Etymology

The species is named after French zoologist Roger Vuattoux (1940–2023).

Taxonomy

The species was originally described by Blandin in 1977 from the Ivory Coast. It is known from both sexes.[3]

References

  1. ^ Blandin, P. (1977). "Etudes sur les Pisauridae africaines VII. Les espèces du genre Euprosthenopsis Blandin, 1974 (Araneae, Pisauridae, Pisaurinae)". Revue Zoologique Africaine. 91 (1): 137–146.
  2. ^ "Euprosthenopsis vuattouxi Blandin, 1977". World Spider Catalog. Retrieved 23 September 2025.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S.; Haddad, C.R.; Foord, S.H.; Lotz, L.N. (2020). The Pisauridae of South Africa. Version 1. South African National Survey of Arachnida Photo Identification Guide. p. 31. doi:10.5281/zenodo.7157775. Retrieved 23 September 2025. This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.