Afrarchaea cornuta
Species of spider
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Afrarchaea cornuta is a species of spider of the genus Afrarchaea. It is endemic to South Africa.[1]
| Long-necked assassin spider | |
|---|---|
| |
| female | |
 | |
| juvenile male | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Araneomorphae |
| Family: | Archaeidae |
| Genus: | Afrarchaea |
| Species: | A. cornuta |
| Binomial name | |
| Afrarchaea cornuta (Lotz, 2003) | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Etymology
The species name cornuta means "horned" in Latin.
Distribution
Afrarchaea cornuta is known only from Vernon Crookes Nature Reserve in KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa. The species has an extremely restricted range at an elevation of 444 metres above sea level.[2]
female
female
Habitat
Description
juvenile male
juvenile male
juvenile male
Afrarchaea cornuta exhibits the characteristic features of the genus, including a greatly elevated cephalic region and elongated chelicerae. Both males and females are known for this species.[3]
Conservation status
Afrarchaea cornuta is classified as Vulnerable under criterion D2 by the South African National Biodiversity Institute. The species has likely lost extensive habitat in the past as areas surrounding Vernon Crookes Nature Reserve have been severely transformed for crop cultivation. While the species receives some protection within the reserve, this area is very small and remains vulnerable to disturbance and invasion by alien plant species.[2]
