Ariadna segestrioides


Ariadna segestrioides is a species of spider in the family Segestriidae. It is endemic to the Eastern Cape of South Africa and is commonly known as the Dunbrody tube-web spider.

Distribution

Ariadna segestrioides is known only from the type locality Dunbrody in the Eastern Cape, at an altitude of 66 m above sea level.

Habitat and ecology

The species inhabits the Thicket biome and constructs tube signal-webs made in crevices of walls, rocks, fallen tree trunks, or bark of trees.

Description

Females have a blackish-brown carapace, slightly paler in the middle. Chelicerae are reddish-black. Legs are blackish-brown to nearly black, with the two posterior pairs paler distally. Their tarsi and, to a lesser extent, their metatarsi are pale yellowish, while the two anterior pairs of tarsi are reddish.
The abdomen is pallid with a median series of purplish spots above. The underside is faintly suffused with purplish and has a dark purplish patch posteriorly before the spinners. The sternum and labium are blackish-brown. Total length is 10.75 mm.

Conservation

Ariadna segestrioides is listed as data deficient for taxonomic reasons. More sampling is needed to collect males and determine the species' range.

Taxonomy

The species was originally described by W. F. Purcell in 1904 from Dunbrody. Only females are known.