Eusparassus schoemanae
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Northern Cape Stone Huntsman Spider | |
|---|---|
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| Male | |
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| Male | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Araneomorphae |
| Family: | Sparassidae |
| Genus: | Eusparassus |
| Species: | E. schoemanae |
| Binomial name | |
| Eusparassus schoemanae Moradmand, 2013[1] | |
Eusparassus schoemanae is a species of spider in the family Sparassidae.[2] It is found in Namibia and South Africa and is commonly known as the Northern Cape stone huntsman spider.
Eusparassus schoemanae is found in the Northern Cape and Western Cape provinces of South Africa, and is also known from Namibia. Notable locations include Lieliefontein, Richtersveld Transfrontier National Park, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, Tswalu Kalahari Reserve, and various locations around Clanwilliam.[3]
Habitat and ecology
The species inhabits Desert, Succulent Karoo, and Grassland biomes at elevations ranging from 120 to 1,349 m above sea level. These are free-living nocturnal spiders that during the day hide in silk retreats made on the underside of stones or in crevices of rocks.[3]
Description
male
The species belongs to the genus Eusparassus, which are characterised by the presence of two pairs of ventral tibial spines on legs I to IV. The male palp is characterised by the embolus and tegulum nearly of the same length arranged as a U-shaped structure. The female epigyne shows two large lateral lobes typical of the genus.[3]
Conservation
Eusparassus schoemanae is listed as least concern by the South African National Biodiversity Institute due to its wide geographical range. The species is protected in the Richtersveld Transfrontier National Park, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, Benfontein Nature Reserve, and Tswalu Kalahari Reserve. There are no significant threats to the species.[3]
