Spiroctenus gooldi

Goold’s Spiroctenus Trapdoor Spider
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Subphylum:	Chelicerata
Class:	Arachnida
Order:	Araneae
Infraorder:	Mygalomorphae
Family:	Bemmeridae
Genus:	Spiroctenus
Species:	S. gooldi
Binomial name
	Spiroctenus gooldi; (Purcell, 1903)
Synonyms
	Hermachastes gooldi Purcell, 1903 ;

Spiroctenus gooldi is a species of spider in the family Bemmeridae. It is endemic to the Western Cape province of South Africa.^[1]

Distribution

Spiroctenus gooldi has been recorded from Malmesbury, Stompneus at St Helena Bay, and St James at False Bay.^[2] All specimens were collected prior to 1903.

Habitat

The species inhabits the Fynbos Biome as a ground-dwelling burrow constructor.^[2]

Description

Only males of Spiroctenus gooldi are known to science.^[3] The opisthosoma shows transverse stripes that meet or nearly meet in the median line. The total length is 10-11 millimeters.^[3]

Conservation

The species is listed as Data Deficient for taxonomic reasons, as females remain unknown and the current species range requires further study.^[2]

References

↑ "Spiroctenus gooldi (Purcell, 1903)". World Spider Catalog. Retrieved 19 September 2025.
1 2 3 Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S.; Haddad, C.R.; Foord, S.H.; Lotz, L.N. (2021). The Bemmeridae of South Africa. Version 1. South African National Survey of Arachnida Photo Identification Guide. Irene. pp. 1–41. doi:10.5281/zenodo.7810486. This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.
1 2 Purcell, W.F. (1903). "New South African spiders of the families Migidae, Ctenizidae, Barychelidae Dipluridae, and Lycosidae". Annals of the South African Museum. 3: 69–142.

[wsc-1] "Spiroctenus gooldi (Purcell, 1903)". World Spider Catalog. Retrieved 19 September 2025.

[dippenaar2021-2] 1 2 3 Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S.; Haddad, C.R.; Foord, S.H.; Lotz, L.N. (2021). The Bemmeridae of South Africa. Version 1. South African National Survey of Arachnida Photo Identification Guide. Irene. pp. 1–41. doi:10.5281/zenodo.7810486. This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.

[purcell1903-3] 1 2 Purcell, W.F. (1903). "New South African spiders of the families Migidae, Ctenizidae, Barychelidae Dipluridae, and Lycosidae". Annals of the South African Museum. 3: 69–142.

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