Aethriscus
Genus of spiders
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Aethriscus is a genus of African orb-weaver spiders first described by Reginald Innes Pocock in 1902.[2] The two described species are found in the DR Congo.[1] One of them was later also found in South Africa.[3]
| Aethriscus | |
|---|---|
| |
| A. olivaceus | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Araneomorphae |
| Family: | Araneidae |
| Genus: | Aethriscus Pocock, 1902[1] |
| Type species | |
| A. olivaceus Pocock, 1902 | |
| Species | |
| |
They are rare spiders and resemble Cyrtarachne.[3]
Description
The total length of females ranges from 7 to 10 mm, while the size of males remains unknown.[3]
When viewed from above, the body displays a triangular shape. The carapace is olive-brown in color and appears smooth and shiny, featuring a small tubercle positioned at the level of the cephalic region constriction, while the median ocular area is narrower at the front. The abdomen has a shiny appearance and is olive yellow with darker humps, maintaining a triangular shape with a straight anterior border that contains 11 sigilla and blunt round humps, while the posterior area appears paler in color.[3]
The legs are olive-brown, very short in length, and fold around the body.[3]
Species
As of September 2025[update], this genus includes two species:[1]
- Aethriscus olivaceus Pocock, 1902 – DR Congo, South Africa (type species)
- Aethriscus pani Lessert, 1930 – DR Congo
