Anyphops decoratus

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Phylum:Arthropoda
Subphylum:Chelicerata
Class:Arachnida
Order:Araneae
Zululand Anyphops Flat Spider
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Infraorder: Araneomorphae
Family: Selenopidae
Genus: Anyphops
Species:
A. decoratus
Binomial name
Anyphops decoratus
(Lawrence, 1940)[1]

Anyphops decoratus is a species of spider in the family Selenopidae.[2] It is endemic to South Africa and is commonly known as the Zululand anyphops flat spider.[3]

Anyphops decoratus is found in South Africa.[2] The species occurs in four provinces: Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, and Mpumalanga, at altitudes ranging from 29 to 1245 m above sea level.[3]

Habitat and ecology

The species inhabits Forest, Indian Ocean Coastal Belt, and Savanna biomes.[3] These are free-living cryptozoic nocturnal spiders.[3]

Description

The species is known from both sexes.[3] The carapace is brown, narrowly margined with black, decorated with spots and short bars of black, including a row of black spots along the lateral margin, and a large one on each side of the stria along the posterior margin. The chelicerae are brown, with their inner margins black and a black dot on the outer side near the base.[3]

The opisthosoma is mottled with black spots and bars, creating a dark brown overall effect. All legs have very clearly defined black blotches and bands. The posterior surfaces of femora are white, and metatarsi have 2 distinct black bands. Anterior tibiae have 7 pairs of inferior spines. Total length is 6-9 mm.[3]

Conservation

Taxonomy

References

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