Selenops ovambicus
Selenops ovambicus is a species of spider in the family Selenopidae. It is found in Senegal, Cameroon, Sudan, Namibia, Botswana, Mozambique and South Africa and is commonly known as the Ovambicus Selenops flat spider.
Distribution
Selenops ovambicus is found in Senegal, Cameroon, Sudan, Namibia, Botswana, Mozambique and South Africa. In South Africa, it is known from Limpopo at 418 m above sea level.
The species inhabits the Savanna biome and is a free-living cryptozoic nocturnal ground living spider.
Description
Known from only the female. Carapace reddish brown, cephalic portion a little darker than thoracic portion, defined at its posterior apex by two short blackish stripes, a narrow incomplete blackish stripe in the middle. Thoracic portion with some submarginal spots, radiations from the thoracic striae short and ill-defined, the striae itself deeply grooved and blackish. Mandibles blackish brown, ocular area dark. Abdomen much macerated. Femora of anterior legs with 2 distinct blackish bands on their anterior surfaces, these confluent along the under sides. Anterior tibiae with 2 black and 2 lighter bands. Labium blackish brown, sternum narrowly margined with black. Total length 13.4 mm.
Conservation
Selenops ovambicus is listed as Least Concern by the South African National Biodiversity Institute due to its wide geographical range in Africa. The species is protected in Kruger National Park.
Taxonomy
The species was originally described by Lawrence in 1940 from Namibia. It was revised by Corronca in 2002.