Vidole lyra

Lyra Vidole Hackled Band Spider
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Infraorder: Araneomorphae
Family: Phyxelididae
Genus: Vidole
Species:
V. lyra
Binomial name
Vidole lyra

Vidole lyra is a species of spider in the family Phyxelididae.[2] It is endemic to South Africa and is commonly known as the lyra Vidole hackled band spider.[3]

Distribution

Vidole lyra is distributed across two South African provinces, Eastern Cape and Gauteng.[3] The species occurs at altitudes ranging from 16 to 1,522 m above sea level.

Habitat and ecology

This species inhabits the Grassland, Savanna, Thicket, and Indian Ocean Coastal Belt biomes.[3] Vidole lyra is a ground retreat-web cryptic spider that lives in damp and dark places.[3]

Description

Conservation

Vidole lyra is listed as Least Concern by the South African National Biodiversity Institute.[3] Although known from only one sex, the species has a wide geographical range and is protected in Kloofendal Nature Reserve and Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve in Gauteng. There are no significant threats to the species.[3]

Taxonomy

The species was described by Griswold in 1990 from Lusikisiki in the Eastern Cape.[1] Vidole lyra is known only from the female.[3]

References

  1. ^ a b Griswold, C.E. (1990). "A revision and phylogenetic analysis of the spider subfamily Phyxelidinae (Araneae, Amaurobiidae)". Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History. 196: 1–206.
  2. ^ "Vidole lyra Griswold, 1990". World Spider Catalog. Retrieved 24 September 2025.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S.; Haddad, C.R.; Foord, S.H.; Lotz, L.N. (2021). The Phyxelididae of South Africa. Version 1. South African National Survey of Arachnida Photo Identification Guide. p. 33. doi:10.5281/zenodo.6813843. Retrieved 24 September 2025. This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.