Idiops sylvestris
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Sylvestri Idiops Trapdoor Spider | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Male | |
 | |
| Male | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Mygalomorphae |
| Family: | Idiopidae |
| Genus: | Idiops |
| Species: | I. sylvestris |
| Binomial name | |
| Idiops sylvestris (Hewitt, 1925)[1] | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Idiops sylvestris is a species of spider in the family Idiopidae.[2] It is endemic to South Africa and is commonly known as the Sylvestri Idiops trapdoor spider.[3]
Idiops sylvestris is recorded from Limpopo and the Free State at an altitude of 860 m above sea level.[3]
Habitat and ecology
The species inhabits the Savanna and Grassland biomes. It lives in silk-lined burrows closed with a trapdoor. Research has shown that average minimum daily temperature has a significant effect on the activity pattern of the species, while rainfall has a weak effect. The species is active from late summer (mid-February) to the middle of autumn (late April).[3]
Description
Idiops sylvestris is known only from males. The carapace and appendages are dark brown above, with the tarsus and metatarsus of legs I and II paler. The abdomen is blackish brown. Lower surfaces of appendages are olive, while the sternum, genital region, lung operculae, and spinnerets are yellowish.[3]
Conservation
Idiops sylvestris is listed as Data Deficient for taxonomic reasons. The species is partly protected in the Free State National Botanical Garden.[3]
