Paradonea splendens
| Paradonea splendens | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Araneomorphae |
| Family: | Eresidae |
| Genus: | Paradonea |
| Species: | P. splendens
|
| Binomial name | |
| Paradonea splendens (Lawrence, 1936)
| |
Paradonea splendens is a species of spider in the family Eresidae.[1] It is endemic to South Africa.[2]
Etymology
The species epithet "splendens" is Latin for "shiny" or "splendid".
Distribution
Paradonea splendens is found exclusively in South Africa, where it occurs in two provinces: Gauteng and Northern Cape.[2]
Habitat and ecology
The species inhabits Grassland and Savanna biomes at altitudes ranging from 1,102 to 1,345 m above sea level.[2]
The species is a ground-dweller that builds silken tubes under stones or under shrubs.[2]
Description
The species is currently known only from males.[2]
Conservation
Paradonea splendens is listed as Data Deficient by the IUCN for taxonomic reasons. The species is possibly under-collected, and too little is known about its location, habitat, and threats for a proper assessment. The placement of the species is also problematic taxonomically.[2]
The species is protected in Benfontein Nature Reserve. Additional sampling is needed to better understand its distribution and conservation needs.[2]
Taxonomy
This species was originally described by Lawrence in 1936 as Adonea splendens from Gemsbok Pan. It was later transferred to Paradonea by Lawrence in 1968 and revised by Miller et al. in 2012.[1]
References
- ^ a b "Paradonea splendens (Lawrence, 1936)". World Spider Catalog. Retrieved 22 September 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f g 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. 27. doi:10.5281/zenodo.6331366. Retrieved 22 September 2025. This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.