Asceua foordi
Asceua foordi is a species of spider in the family Zodariidae. It is found in Africa and is commonly known as Foord's Asceua spider.
Etymology
The species is named in memory of South African arachnologist Stefan Hendrik Foord.
Distribution
Asceua foordi occurs in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Guinea, and South Africa. Within South Africa, the species has been recorded from the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal provinces, including localities such as Coffee Bay, Kei Mouth, Mazeppa Bay, and several nature reserves.
Habitat
The species occurs at altitudes ranging from 5 to 1,336 metres above sea level. In South Africa, it inhabits coastal forests where it has been collected using various methods including sweeping, litter sifting, and hand collecting.
Description
The species is known from both sexes and is characterized by its ant-mimicking appearance, with a dark coloration and white spots on the abdomen.
Ecology
Asceua foordi are free-living plant and litter-dwellers that mimic small black ants, which they probably prey upon. In tropical Africa, specimens have been collected from forest canopies using fogging techniques.
Conservation
The species is listed as Least Concern by the South African National Biodiversity Institute due to its wide geographical range across Africa. No significant threats have been identified.