Spiroctenus marleyi
| Marley’s Spiroctenus Trapdoor Spider | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Mygalomorphae |
| Family: | Bemmeridae |
| Genus: | Spiroctenus |
| Species: | S. marleyi
|
| Binomial name | |
| Spiroctenus marleyi Hewitt, 1919
| |
Spiroctenus marleyi is a species of spider in the family Bemmeridae. It is endemic to KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa.[1]
Distribution
Spiroctenus marleyi is known only from the type locality at Eshowe.[2]
Habitat
The species inhabits the Indian Ocean Coastal Belt and Savanna biomes as a ground-dwelling burrow constructor.[2]
Description
Both sexes of Spiroctenus marleyi are known to science.[3] Males have dull brown appendages and a dark chestnut brown carapace. The opisthosoma is infuscated above. The total length of males is 10.5 millimeters. Females have a brown carapace and appendages. The abdomen is infuscated above with numerous unarranged pale spots that break up the original dark tree pattern. The total length of females is 15 millimeters.[3]
Conservation
The species is listed as Data Deficient, as more sampling is needed to determine the species range.[2]
References
- ^ "Spiroctenus marleyi Hewitt, 1919". World Spider Catalog. Retrieved 19 September 2025.
- ^ a b c Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S.; Haddad, C.R.; Foord, S.H.; Lotz, L.N. (2021). The Bemmeridae of South Africa. Version 1. South African National Survey of Arachnida Photo Identification Guide. Irene. pp. 1–41. doi:10.5281/zenodo.7810486. This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.
- ^ a b Hewitt, J. (1919). "Descriptions of new South African Araneae and Solifugae". Annals of the Transvaal Museum. 6: 63–111.