Archaeodictyna condocta
Archaeodictyna condocta is a species of spider in the family Dictynidae. It is commonly known as the grass mesh-web spider.
Distribution
Archaeodictyna condocta has a wide global distribution, occurring from North Africa to Kazakhstan, and has been introduced to South Africa. In South Africa, it is known from several localities in four provinces: Free State, Gauteng, Northern Cape, and Western Cape.
The species is found at altitudes ranging from 84 to 1,316 m above sea level. Archaeodictyna condocta constructs retreat-webs on leaves, in crevices, or between twigs. The species has been recorded from various biomes but is more common in grassland and savanna.
Description
Archaeodictyna condocta is known from both sexes. Like other species in this genus, females and males are small spiders with pale to dark brown or grey carapaces and pale opisthosoma with dark patterns.
Conservation
Archaeodictyna condocta is listed as Least Concern by the South African National Biodiversity Institute due to its wide distribution range. The species is protected in two reserves: Tswalu Game Reserve and Rooipoort Nature Reserve.
Taxonomy
The species was originally described by O. Pickard-Cambridge in 1876 as Dictyna condocta. It was later transferred to the genus Archaeodictyna by Lehtinen in 1967, who also synonymized several other species with A. condocta, including Dictyna abyssinica, D. montana, D. pygmaea, and D. sedilloti deserta.