Runcinia tropica

Runcinia tropica is a species of spider in the family Thomisidae. It is commonly known as the tropical Runcinia grass crab spider and is widespread throughout Africa.

Distribution

Runcinia tropica has a wide distribution throughout Africa.
In South Africa, it has been recorded from Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, and Mpumalanga.

Habitat and ecology

Runcinia tropica are free-living on plants.
In South Africa, they have been sampled in Grassland, Indian Ocean Coastal Belt, and Savanna biomes, at altitudes ranging from 78 to 1,871 m.

Taxonomy

Runcinia tropica was described by Eugène Simon in 1907 from Annobón as a subspecies Runcinia affinis tropica. Dippenaar-Schoeman elevated it to species status in 1980. The species was revised by Dippenaar-Schoeman in 1980 and 1983 and is known from both sexes.