Prasonica seriata

Prasonica seriata is a species of spider in the family Araneidae. It is an African endemic species commonly known as the African cucumber orb-web spider.

Distribution

Prasonica seriata is widespread in Africa, Madagascar, and the Seychelles. In South Africa, it is known from seven provinces.

Habitat and ecology

The species inhabits altitudes ranging from 7 to 1,902 m above sea level and has been sampled from the Savanna and Thicket biomes. Prasonica seriata constructs orb webs in low vegetation. When not active, the spider weaves a silk retreat below a leaf.

Conservation

Prasonica seriata is listed as Least Concern by the South African National Biodiversity Institute due to its wide geographical range across Africa. The species is protected in 15 protected areas.

Taxonomy

The species was originally described by Eugène Simon in 1895 from Sierra Leone. It was later revised by Grasshoff in 1971, who synonymized Spilasma africana with this species. The species is known from both sexes.