Eusparassus borakalalo
| Borakalalo Stone Huntsman Spider | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Araneomorphae |
| Family: | Sparassidae |
| Genus: | Eusparassus |
| Species: | E. borakalalo
|
| Binomial name | |
| Eusparassus borakalalo Moradmand, 2013[1]
| |
Eusparassus borakalalo is a species of spider in the family Sparassidae.[2] It is endemic to South Africa and is commonly known as the Borakalalo stone huntsman spider.
Distribution
Eusparassus borakalalo is found in two South African provinces: Gauteng and Limpopo. Notable locations include Johannesburg, Magaliesburg, Lhuvhondo Nature Reserve, and Rust de Winter.[3]
Habitat and ecology
The species inhabits Grassland and Savanna biomes at elevations ranging from 982 to 1,752 m above sea level. These are free-living nocturnal spiders that during the day hide in silk retreats made on the underside of stones or in crevices of rocks. These retreats are also used when they moult.[3]
Description
Conservation
Eusparassus borakalalo is listed as least concern by the South African National Biodiversity Institute. Much natural habitat remains within its range and it is likely to be under-collected. There are no significant threats to the species.[3]
Taxonomy
The species was described by Moradmand in 2013 and is known only from the female. The holotype was collected from Rust de Winter in Limpopo.[3]
References
- ^ Moradmand, M. (2013). "The stone huntsman spider genus Eusparassus (Araneae: Sparassidae): systematics and zoogeography with revision of the African and Arabian species". Zootaxa. 3675: 1–108. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.3675.1.1. PMID 26146699.
- ^ "Eusparassus borakalalo Moradmand, 2013". World Spider Catalog. Natural History Museum Bern. doi:10.24436/2. Retrieved 2025-09-28.
- ^ a b c d Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S.; Haddad, C.R.; Foord, S.H.; Lotz, L.N. (2022). The Sparassidae of South Africa. Version 2. South African National Survey of Arachnida Photo Identification Guide. p. 8. doi:10.5281/zenodo.6614498. This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.