Heliocapensis
Heliocapensis is a mainly South African genus of the spider family Salticidae.
Distribution
Most species in this genus are endemic to South Africa, with a few found in.
These are free-living spiders found on the ground or plant-dwellers collected from various habitat types.
Description
These are small salticids, measuring between 3.0 and 4.5 mm in length.
Males are characterized by black coloration with distinctive white markings. A thin line traverses the anterior region of the abdomen, accompanied by two or three pairs of rounded or obliquely-oriented white markings. These markings consist of white setae or microscopic scales and tend to fade as the specimen ages.
Taxonomy
The genus Heliocapensis was elevated from a subgenus of Heliophanus C. L. Koch, 1833 by Wesołowska in 2024.
Species
, this genus includes fourteen species:Heliocapensis aberdarensis – Kenya, South AfricaHeliocapensis bellus – South AfricaHeliocapensis capensis – South AfricaHeliocapensis charlesi – South AfricaHeliocapensis chikangawanus – Angola, MalawiHeliocapensis claviger – Mozambique, South AfricaHeliocapensis deserticola – South AfricaHeliocapensis lola Wesołowska & Henrard, 2025 – GuineaHeliocapensis maluti – South Africa, LesothoHeliocapensis mirabilis – South AfricaHeliocapensis peckhami – South Africa Heliocapensis portentosus – South AfricaHeliocapensis redimitus – South AfricaHeliocapensis termitophagus – South Africa