Mimetus cornutus is a species of spider in the family Mimetidae.[1] It occurs in southern Africa and is commonly known as the horned Mimetus pirate spider.[2]
| Horned Mimetus Pirate Spider | |
|---|---|
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| Female | |
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| Female | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Araneomorphae |
| Family: | Mimetidae |
| Genus: | Mimetus |
| Species: | M. cornutus |
| Binomial name | |
| Mimetus cornutus Lawrence, 1947 | |
Distribution
editMimetus cornutus occurs in Botswana, Mozambique, and two provinces in South Africa, KwaZulu-Natal and Limpopo. The species has been recorded at altitudes ranging from 47 to 1,393 m (154 to 4,570 ft) above sea level.[2]
Habitat and ecology
editMimetus cornutus is a free-living spider found on vegetation that feeds on other spiders. The species has been sampled from the Indian Ocean Coastal Belt and Savanna biomes.[2]
Description
edit
Female
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Conservation
editMimetus cornutus is listed as Least Concern by the South African National Biodiversity Institute due to its wide geographical range. The species is protected in Ndumo Game Reserve, Tembe Elephant Park, uMkhuze Game Reserve, Entabeni Nature Reserve, and Lhuvhondo Nature Reserve. More sampling is needed to collect and describe the male.[2]
Taxonomy
editThe species was originally described by R. F. Lawrence in 1947 from a specimen collected in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal. The species has not undergone taxonomic revision and males remain undescribed despite being collected.[2]
References
edit- ↑ "Mimetus cornutus Lawrence, 1947". World Spider Catalog. Retrieved 23 September 2025.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S.; Haddad, C.R.; Foord, S.H.; Lotz, L.N. (2021). The Mimetidae of South Africa. Version 1. South African National Survey of Arachnida Photo Identification Guide. p. 11. doi:10.5281/zenodo.6783302. Retrieved 23 September 2025.
This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.