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Menneus camelus

Menneus camelus, also known as the camel-back net-casting spider, is a species of net-casting spider in the family Deinopidae. It is endemic to eastern South Africa.[2][3]: 14 

Camel Back Net Casting Spider
M. camelus from Durban
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Infraorder: Araneomorphae
Family: Deinopidae
Genus: Menneus
Species:
M. camelus
Binomial name
Menneus camelus
Pocock, 1902

Etymology

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The species epithet "camelus" refers to the camel-like humps on the female's abdomen, which give the spider its distinctive profile.

Distribution

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Menneus camelus was originally described from Durban, South Africa. It is a South African endemic known from eight provinces and occurs in more than ten protected areas at altitudes ranging from 4 to 1,762 metres above sea level.[4]

Habitat and ecology

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The species constructs small, rectangular expandable webs made with cribellate silk held in their front legs. It has been sampled from the Fynbos, Grassland, Indian Ocean Coastal Belt, Savanna, and Thicket biomes. Menneus camelus is also synanthropic and frequently found in and around houses in South Africa. It has been recorded from avocado orchards.[4]

Description

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Conservation

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Menneus camelus is listed as Least Concern by the South African National Biodiversity Institute due to its wide geographical distribution and occurrence in numerous protected areas. There are no significant threats to the species.[4]

Taxonomy

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The species was originally described by Reginald Innes Pocock in 1902 from Durban. The genus Menneus was revised by Coddington et al. in 2012.[3]

References

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  1. ↑ Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.; Foord, S.; Lotz, L.; Haddad, C.; Lyle, R.; Sethusa, T. (2024). "Menneus camelus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2024 e.T175255085A189444498. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2024-1.RLTS.T175255085A189444498.en. Retrieved 14 April 2025.
  2. ↑ "Menneus camelus Pocock, 1902". World Spider Catalog. Retrieved 21 September 2025.
  3. 1 2 Coddington, Jonathan A.; Kuntner, Matjaz; Opell, Brent D. (2012). "Systematics of the Spider Family Deinopidae with a Revision of the Genus Menneus". Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology (636): 1–61. doi:10.5479/si.00810282.636.1.
  4. 1 2 3 Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S.; Haddad, C.R.; Foord, S.H.; Lotz, L.N. (2020). The Deinopidae of South Africa. Version 2. South African National Survey of Arachnida Photo Identification Guide. pp. 11–12. doi:10.5281/zenodo.6326965. This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.
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