Olios machadoi

Machado's Olios Huntsman Spider
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Subphylum:	Chelicerata
Class:	Arachnida
Order:	Araneae
Infraorder:	Araneomorphae
Family:	Sparassidae
Genus:	Olios
Species:	O. machadoi
Binomial name
	Olios machadoi; Lawrence, 1952

Olios machadoi is a species of spider in the family Sparassidae.^[2] It is endemic to South Africa and is commonly known as Machado's Olios huntsman spider.^[3]

Distribution

Olios machadoi is recorded from four provinces in South Africa, Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, and Western Cape. The species has been collected at altitudes ranging from 34 to 1,319 m above sea level.^[3]

Habitat and ecology

The species consists of nocturnal plant dwellers that wander around in search of prey on vegetation and make their silk retreats between two leaves kept together with silk strands. Olios machadoi has been sampled from Forest, Grassland, Nama Karoo and Savanna biomes.^[3]

Description

Conservation

Olios machadoi is listed as least concern by the South African National Biodiversity Institute due to its wide geographical range. The species is protected in six protected areas including Ndumo Game Reserve, Mkambati Nature Reserve, Kosi Bay Nature Reserve, Tembe Elephant Park, Kruger National Park, and Gamkaberg Nature Reserve.^[3]

Taxonomy

Olios machadoi was described by Lawrence in 1952 from Pietermaritzburg in KwaZulu-Natal. This species is misplaced in Olios.^[3]

References

↑ Lawrence, R.F. (1952). "New spiders from the eastern half of South Africa". Annals of the Natal Museum. 12: 183–226.
↑ "Olios machadoi Lawrence, 1952". World Spider Catalog. Retrieved 2025-09-28.
1 2 3 4 5 Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S.; Haddad, C.R.; Foord, S.H.; Lotz, L.N. (2022). The Sparassidae of South Africa. Version 2. South African National Survey of Arachnida Photo Identification Guide. p. 26. doi:10.5281/zenodo.6614498. This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.

[lawrence1952-1] Lawrence, R.F. (1952). "New spiders from the eastern half of South Africa". Annals of the Natal Museum. 12: 183–226.

[wsc-2] "Olios machadoi Lawrence, 1952". World Spider Catalog. Retrieved 2025-09-28.

[dippenaar2022-3] 1 2 3 4 5 Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S.; Haddad, C.R.; Foord, S.H.; Lotz, L.N. (2022). The Sparassidae of South Africa. Version 2. South African National Survey of Arachnida Photo Identification Guide. p. 26. doi:10.5281/zenodo.6614498. This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.

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