Diores rectus
Diores rectus is a species of spider in the family Zodariidae. It occurs in Africa and is commonly known as the Marble Hall Igloo spider.
Distribution
Diores rectus is found in Malawi, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. In South Africa, it has been recorded from three provinces: the Free State, Gauteng, Limpopo, and Mpumalanga. The species was originally described from Farm Wolwekraal near Marble Hall in Mpumalanga.
Habitat
The species inhabits the Grassland and Savanna biomes at altitudes ranging from 241 to 1467 metres above sea level. It has also been sampled from cotton fields.
Description
Males of Diores rectus have a total length of 3.54 mm, while females are larger at 5.46 mm. The prosoma is pale yellow in both sexes. Males have a dark sepia opisthosoma that is purplish in front where there is a faint dorsal scutum, followed by a row of three or four white patches, with the sides and venter being pale. Females have a yellow carapace with a triangular, slightly darkened area in front of the fovea, light orange chelicerae, and the abdomen has a pale patch on a dark sepia background with pale sides and venter.
Ecology
Diores rectus are free-living ground-dwellers that have been sampled using pitfall traps from grassland and savanna environments.
Conservation
The species is listed as Least Concern due to its wide geographical range. It is protected in Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve, Kruger National Park, and Ben Lavin Nature Reserve.