Anyphops immaculatus


Anyphops immaculatus is a species of spider in the family Selenopidae. It is endemic to South Africa and is commonly known as Gauteng's Anyphops flat spider.

Distribution

Anyphops immaculatus occurs in five South African provinces: Free State, Gauteng, Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, and Western Cape. Notable localities include Florida, Pretoria, Bloemfontein, East London, and Cathedral Peak.

Habitat and ecology

The species inhabits Fynbos, Grassland, and Thicket biomes at altitudes ranging from 52 to 1693 m above sea level. These are free-living cryptozoic nocturnal ground living spiders that are sometimes found in houses.

Description

Known only from the male. The carapace is yellow-brown with thoracic striae and some very faint radiations from it a little darker, and eyes surrounded by a blackened area. The chelicerae are yellow brown.
The opisthosoma is yellow with a few blackish brown spots. The legs are without markings except for two very faint brown bands on the anterior tibiae. The anterior tibiae have 5 pairs of inferior spines.
Total length is 8.5 mm.

Conservation

Anyphops immaculatus is listed as Least Concern due to its wide geographical range. The species is protected in the Swartberg Nature Reserve and Amanzi Private Game Reserve.

Taxonomy

The species was originally described by Lawrence in 1940 as Selenops immaculatus from Florida in Gauteng. It was later transferred to the genus Anyphops by Benoit in 1968.