Xerophaeus rostratus
| Graaff Reinet Mouse Ground Spider | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Araneomorphae |
| Family: | Gnaphosidae |
| Genus: | Xerophaeus |
| Species: | X. rostratus
|
| Binomial name | |
| Xerophaeus rostratus | |
Xerophaeus rostratus is a species of spider in the family Gnaphosidae.[2] It is endemic to South Africa and is commonly known as the Graaff Reinet mouse ground spider.[3]
Distribution
Xerophaeus rostratus is recorded from three South African provinces: the Free State, Eastern Cape, and Gauteng.[3]
Habitat and ecology
The species inhabits the Grassland and Nama Karoo biomes at altitudes ranging from 778 to 1492 m above sea level. Xerophaeus rostratus are free-living ground dwellers.[3]
Description
Conservation
Xerophaeus rostratus is listed as Least Concern by the South African National Biodiversity Institute. The species appears to be sufficiently widespread despite being known only from a few specimens. More sampling is needed to determine the species' range, but there are no significant threats.[3]
Taxonomy
The species was originally described by W. F. Purcell in 1907 from Graaff-Reinet. The species has not been revised but is known from both sexes.[3]
References
- ^ Purcell, W.F. (1907). "New South African spiders of the family Drassidae in the collection of the South African Museum". Annals and Magazine of Natural History. 20 (118): 297–336. doi:10.1080/00222930709487339.
- ^ "Xerophaeus rostratus Purcell, 1907". World Spider Catalog.
- ^ a b c d e Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S.; Haddad, C.R.; Foord, S.H.; Lotz, L.N. (2021). The Gnaphosidae of South Africa. Part 3 (T-X). South African National Survey of Arachnida Photo Identification Guide. p. 56. This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.