Moggridgea microps

Moggridgea microps is a species of spider in the family Migidae. It occurs in South Africa and Eswatini and is commonly known as the Malelane Moggridgea trapdoor spider.

Etymology

The specific name is Latin for "small-eyed".

Distribution

Moggridgea microps has a wide distribution across three South African provinces. It occurs in the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, and Mpumalanga. The species is also found in Eswatini.

Habitat

The species inhabits multiple biomes including Grassland, Forest, Savanna, and Indian Ocean Coastal Belt biomes at altitudes ranging from 5 to 1,328 m above sea level.

Lifestyle

It is an arboreal trapdoor spider with adult females collected in February, March, May, June, and November.

Description

Moggridgea microps is known only from the female.

Conservation

Moggridgea microps is listed as Least Concern by the South [African National Biodiversity Institute]. Although presently known only from females, it has a wide geographical range extending into Eswatini. It is protected in the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, but additional sampling is needed to collect male specimens.

Taxonomy

The species was originally described by John Hewitt in 1915 from Malelane in Mpumalanga and later revised by :species:Charles E. Griswold in 1987.