Allothele malawi
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| Allothele malawi | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Mygalomorphae |
| Family: | Euagridae |
| Genus: | Allothele |
| Species: | A. malawi |
| Binomial name | |
| Allothele malawi Coyle, 1984 | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Allothele malawi, commonly known as the Malawi sheet-web spider, is a species of mygalomorph spider in the family Euagridae (formerly Dipluridae). It is found in Malawi and South Africa.[1][2]
The specific name is a noun in apposition taken from the type locality of Malawi.[2]
Distribution
Allothele malawi has been recorded from two widely separated localities in southeastern Africa. The species was originally described from specimens collected in Malawi on Mount Mulanje at the Lichenya Plateau.[2] In South Africa, it occurs in three provinces: Gauteng, Limpopo, and Mpumalanga, with populations found in protected areas including Blouberg Nature Reserve and Kruger National Park.[3]
The species is found at elevations ranging from 520 to 1,519 meters above sea level.[3]
Habitat
Allothele malawi inhabits a variety of environments, from dense forest to grassland. In Malawi, specimens were collected in pitfall traps placed in habitats ranging from forest to wet grassland with seeping water to very dry grassland. The species has been found in areas with diverse vegetation including under the rough bark of living Widdringtonia trees, in leaf rosettes of Helichrysum, and in leaf litter.[2]
In South Africa, the species has been sampled from Grassland and Savanna biomes and constructs sheet webs with funnel retreats.[3]
