Acusilas africanus
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| African Rolled Leaf Orb-Web Spider | |
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Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Araneomorphae |
| Family: | Araneidae |
| Genus: | Acusilas |
| Species: | A. africanus |
| Binomial name | |
| Acusilas africanus | |
Acusilas africanus is a species of spider in the family Araneidae, the only African species of its genus.[2] It is found from Cameroon to Tanzania and South Africa and is commonly known as the African rolled leaf orb-web spider.[3]
Acusilas africanus has been recorded from Sierra Leone, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, and Tanzania.[2] In South Africa, it occurs in the provinces of Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, and Limpopo.[3]
Habitat and ecology
The species is known to occur in leaf litter in coastal dunes and inhabits the Forest, Indian Ocean Coastal Belt, Savanna, and Thicket biomes. It is found at altitudes ranging from 16 to 1,930 m above sea level.[3]
Acusilas africanus builds regular vertical orb-webs that incorporate a rolled leaf in the centre. The species is a web-dweller with nocturnal habits.[3]
