Rastellus deserticola
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Desert lesser termite-feeding spider | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Araneomorphae |
| Family: | Gnaphosidae |
| Genus: | Rastellus |
| Species: | R. deserticola |
| Binomial name | |
| Rastellus deserticola | |
Rastellus deserticola is a species of spider in the family Gnaphosidae. It is found in southern Africa and is known as the desert lesser termite-feeding spider.[2][3]
The species name deserticola is derived from Latin, meaning "desert-dweller", referring to the spider's adaptation to arid sandy environments.
Distribution
R. deserticola is found in Namibia and South Africa. The species was described by Charles R. Haddad in 2003 from the Green Valley Nuts farm near Prieska in the Northern Cape, South Africa. In South Africa, it is known from two provinces at elevations from 243 to 1,850 meters above sea level.[3]
