Loxosceles cederbergensis

Loxosceles cederbergensis
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Infraorder: Araneomorphae
Family: Sicariidae
Genus: Loxosceles
Species:
L. cederbergensis
Binomial name
Loxosceles cederbergensis
Lotz, 2017[1]

Loxosceles cederbergensis is a species of spider in the family Sicariidae.[2] It is endemic to the Western Cape province of South Africa.[3]

Distribution

Loxosceles cederbergensis is known only from different localities in the Cederberg Wilderness Area in the Western Cape, at altitudes ranging from 243 to 1523 m above sea level.[3]

Habitat and ecology

The species is a ground dweller found in the Fynbos biome. Specimens were sampled with pitfall traps in the Cederberg Wilderness Area, mainly between 92 and 1660 m above sea level.[3]

Description

Conservation

Loxosceles cederbergensis is listed as Data Deficient due to taxonomic reasons. More sampling is needed to collect males and determine the species' range. The species is protected in the Cederberg Wilderness Area.[3]

Etymology

The specific name cederbergensis refers to the Cederberg mountain range where the species was discovered.

Taxonomy

The species was described by Leon N. Lotz in 2017 from Aan Het Berg in the Cederberg Wilderness Area. It is known only from females, with males remaining to be discovered.[3]

References

  1. ^ Lotz, L.N. (2017). "An update on the spider genus Loxosceles (Araneae: Sicariidae) in the Afrotropical region, with description of seven new species". Zootaxa. 4341 (4): 475–494. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4341.4.2. PMID 29245673.
  2. ^ "Loxosceles cederbergensis Lotz, 2017". World Spider Catalog. Retrieved 2025-09-27.
  3. ^ a b c d e Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S.; Haddad, C.R.; Foord, S.H.; Lotz, L.N. (2021). The Sicariidae of South Africa. Version 1. South African National Survey of Arachnida Photo Identification Guide. p. 12. doi:10.5281/zenodo.7162164. This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.