Panaretella minor


Panaretella minor is a spider species in the family Sparassidae. It is endemic to South Africa and is commonly known as the Pietermaritzburg Panaretella huntsman spider.

Distribution

Panaretella minor is found in the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal provinces. The species has been sampled from East London, Ingele Forest, Pietermaritzburg, Richmond, and Ndumo [Game Reserve]. It occurs at altitudes ranging from 47 to 1,349 m.

Habitat and ecology

Panaretella minor is a free-living plant dweller sampled from the Forest, Grassland, and Savanna biomes.

Conservation

Panaretella minor is listed as Least Concern by the South African National Biodiversity Institute. Much natural habitat remains within this species' range, and it is suspected to be under-sampled and to be extant in more than 15 locations. The species is protected in Ndumo Game Reserve.