Archaeodictyna condocta

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Archaeodictyna condocta
Female
Male
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Infraorder: Araneomorphae
Family: Dictynidae
Genus: Archaeodictyna
Species:
A. condocta
Binomial name
Archaeodictyna condocta
(O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1876)
Synonyms
  • Dictyna olivacea Simon, 1885
  • Dictyna abyssinica Strand, 1906
  • Dictyna montana Tullgren, 1910
  • Dictyna sedilloti deserta Simon, 1911

Archaeodictyna condocta is a species of spider in the family Dictynidae.[1] It is commonly known as the grass mesh-web spider.[2]

Distribution

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Archaeodictyna condocta has a wide global distribution, occurring from North Africa to Kazakhstan, and has been introduced to South Africa.[1] In South Africa, it is known from several localities in four provinces: Free State, Gauteng, Northern Cape, and Western Cape.[2]

Habitat and ecology

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  • female in web
    female in web
  • web
    web

The species is found at altitudes ranging from 84 to 1,316 m above sea level. Archaeodictyna condocta constructs retreat-webs on leaves, in crevices, or between twigs. The species has been recorded from various biomes but is more common in grassland and savanna.[2]

Description

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See also: Glossary of spider terms
  • female
    female
  • male
    male
  • male
    male

Archaeodictyna condocta is known from both sexes. Like other species in this genus, females and males are small spiders with pale to dark brown or grey carapaces and pale opisthosoma with dark patterns.[2]

Conservation

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Archaeodictyna condocta is listed as Least Concern by the South African National Biodiversity Institute due to its wide distribution range.[2] The species is protected in two reserves: Tswalu Game Reserve and Rooipoort Nature Reserve.[2]

Taxonomy

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The species was originally described by O. Pickard-Cambridge in 1876 as Dictyna condocta.[1] It was later transferred to the genus Archaeodictyna by Lehtinen in 1967, who also synonymized several other species with A. condocta, including Dictyna abyssinica, D. montana, D. pygmaea, and D. sedilloti deserta.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Archaeodictyna condocta (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1876)". World Spider Catalog. Retrieved 22 September 2025.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S.; Haddad, C.R.; Foord, S.H.; Lotz, L.N. (2020). The Dictynidae of South Africa. Version 1. South African National Survey of Arachnida Photo Identification Guide. p. 5. doi:10.5281/zenodo.6159874. Retrieved 22 September 2025. This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.