Penestomus croeseri

Penestomus croeseri is a species of spider in the family Penestomidae. It is endemic to the Eastern Cape province of South Africa.^[1]

Penestomus croeseri is known only from Grahamstown in the Eastern Cape.^[2]

The holotype was collected from riverine bush in the Thicket biome, where it was found at 552 m above sea level on the soil surface in a retreat-web.^[2]

Only females of Penestomus croeseri are known to science.^[2] The carapace is red-brown, lighter posteriorly with a smooth texture, covered with sparse fine black setae and broad white setae mostly at the margin and fovea region. The sternum is dusky pale yellow. The chelicerae are red-brown with six promarginal teeth and three retromarginal teeth, bearing fine black setae only.^[2]

The legs are brown basally, with anterior legs red-brown distally and posterior legs pale yellow distally. The opisthosoma is medium gray dorsally without light dorsolateral patches, covered by fine black setae and broad white setae around the margin.^[2][3]

The species is listed as Data Deficient by the IUCN due to taxonomic reasons, as males remain unknown and the full species range requires further study.^[2]