Izithunzi silvicola
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| Izithunzi silvicola | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Araneomorphae |
| Family: | Drymusidae |
| Genus: | Izithunzi |
| Species: | I. silvicola |
| Binomial name | |
| Izithunzi silvicola (Purcell, 1904) | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Izithunzi silvicola is a species of spider in the family Drymusidae. It is endemic to South Africa, where it is known as the Knysna false violin spider.[1][2]
The specific epithet silvicola means "forest-dwelling" in Latin, referring to the species' habitat preference for indigenous forests.
The species was originally described as Drymusa silvicola by W. F. Purcell in 1904.[3] It was transferred to the genus Izithunzi by Labarque, Pérez-González & Griswold in 2018 as part of their comprehensive revision of African Drymusidae based on molecular phylogenetic analysis.[4]
Distribution
Izithunzi silvicola is endemic to South Africa, where it is recorded from the Western Cape and Eastern Cape provinces.[1][4] The species has been found in several protected areas including Knysna forests, Harkerville State Forest, Diepwalle Forest Station, and Tsitsikamma National Park.[1] Its distribution is restricted to the Knysna-Amatola montane forests.[1]