Palystes kreutzmanni
| Kleinmond rain spider | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Araneomorphae |
| Family: | Sparassidae |
| Genus: | Palystes |
| Species: | P. kreutzmanni
|
| Binomial name | |
| Palystes kreutzmanni | |
| Synonyms[2] | |
| |
Palystes kreutzmanni is a spider species in the family Sparassidae.[2] It is endemic to South Africa and is commonly known as the Kleinmond rain spider or Kreutzmann's rain spider.[3]
Distribution
Palystes kreutzmanni is found in the Western Cape province. It has been recorded from Kleinmond, Pringle Bay, Du Toitskloof, Fernkloof Nature Reserve, and Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden. The species occurs at altitudes ranging from 6 to 230 m.[3]
Habitat and ecology
Palystes kreutzmanni occurs in fynbos vegetation of the Western Cape region. The spiders build retreats between apical leaves of bushes such as Leucadendron and Asteraceae (Othonna quinqedentata) bushes. The egg sac is enclosed in the leaves.[3]
Description
Conservation
Palystes kreutzmanni is listed as Endangered by the South African National Biodiversity Institute. The species is rare and presently known only from a small area in the Western Cape. It is protected in the Fernkloof Nature Reserve. Due to the species having a small restricted range, being known from only four locations, and experiencing ongoing decline in habitat availability due to coastal development and crop cultivation, it is listed as Endangered.[3]
References
- ^ Jäger, P.; Kunz, D. (2010). "Palystes kreutzmanni sp. n. – a new huntsman spider species from fynbos vegetation in Western Cape Province, South Africa (Araneae, Sparassidae, Palystinae)". ZooKeys (67): 1–9. Bibcode:2010ZooK...67....1J. doi:10.3897/zookeys.67.700. PMC 3088420. PMID 21594031.
- ^ a b "Palystes kreutzmanni Jäger & Kunz, 2010". World Spider Catalog. Natural History Museum Bern. doi:10.24436/2. Retrieved 2025-10-01.
- ^ 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. 41. doi:10.5281/zenodo.6614498. This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.