Capheris crassimana is a species of spider in the family Zodariidae.[2] It is found across southern Africa and is commonly known as the Namibia Capheris Zodariid spider.[3]
| Namibia Capheris Zodariid spider | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Araneomorphae |
| Family: | Zodariidae |
| Genus: | Capheris |
| Species: | C. crassimana |
| Binomial name | |
| Capheris crassimana | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
The species was originally described by Simon in 1887 as Cydrela crassimana from Namibia.[2]
Distribution
editCapheris crassimana occurs in five southern African countries: Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Mozambique, and South Africa. In South Africa, it has been sampled from Limpopo and the Northern Cape provinces at elevations ranging from 464 to 894 m above sea level.[3]
Habitat
editThe species inhabits ground-dwelling burrowing environments in the Nama Karoo and Savanna biomes.[3]
Description
editBoth males and females are known for this species. The carapace is dark chestnut brown with many short silvery hairs. The chelicerae and sternum are reddish-brown, while the legs are medium brown. The opisthosoma is dark grey, sparsely covered with silvery and brown hairs. The apodemes are orange, and the dorsum features a white patch in front and three faint pale chevrons with a longitudinal pale bar in the posterior part.[4]
Etymology
editThe specific name crassimana refers to the thick or stout nature of certain appendages.[3]
Conservation
editThe species is listed as Least Concern by the South African National Biodiversity Institute due to its wide geographical range across southern Africa. It is protected in five protected areas: Augrabies Falls National Park, Blouberg Nature Reserve, Kruger National Park, Lhuvhondo Nature Reserve, and Witsand Nature Reserve.[3]
References
edit- ↑ Simon, E. (1887). "Etudes arachnologiques. 20e Mémoire. XXVIII. Arachnides recueillis dans le sud de l'Afrique par M. le docteur Hans Schinz". Annales de la Société Entomologique de France. 7 (6): 369–384.
- 1 2 "Capheris crassimana (Simon, 1887)". World Spider Catalog. Retrieved 21 September 2025.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S.; Jocqué, R.; Haddad, C.R.; Foord, S.H.; Lotz, L.N. (2024). The Zodariidae of South Africa. Part 1 (A-D) version 1. South African National Survey of Arachnida Photo Identification Guide. pp. 29–30. doi:10.5281/zenodo.14404920. Retrieved 21 September 2025.
This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license. - ↑ Jocqué, R. (2009). "Some keep it short: on the radiation in the Afrotropical spider genera Capheris and Systenoplacis (Araneae, Zodariidae) without male pedipalp complexity increase". Journal of Afrotropical Zoology. 5: 77–148.
