Neoscona kivuensis

Neoscona kivuensis is a species of spider in the family Araneidae. It is commonly known as the Kivu Neoscona orb-web spider and is an endemic species to Africa.

Etymology

The species is named after the Kivu region in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where it was first described.

Distribution

Neoscona kivuensis is known from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Africa.
In South Africa, the species has been recorded from three provinces: Gauteng, Northern Cape, and Western Cape.

Habitat and ecology

The species makes orb-webs at night and removes them early in the morning. It has been sampled from the Grassland and Nama Karoo biomes.

Description

Neoscona kivuensis is known from both sexes.

Conservation

Neoscona kivuensis is listed as Least Concern by the South [African National Biodiversity Institute] due to its wide geographical range. There are no known threats to the species. The species is protected in Rooipoort Nature Reserve and Karoo National Park.

Taxonomy

The species was described by Grasshoff in 1986 from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.