Cyrioctea sawadee

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Cederberg Spike-Nosed Zodariid spider
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Infraorder: Araneomorphae
Family: Zodariidae
Genus: Cyrioctea
Species:
C. sawadee
Binomial name
Cyrioctea sawadee
Jocqué, 2013[1]

Cyrioctea sawadee is a species of spider in the family Zodariidae.[2] It is endemic to the Western Cape province of South Africa and is commonly known as the Cederberg Spike-Nosed Zodariid spider.[3]

Distribution

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Cyrioctea sawadee is known only from Sawadee Guesthouse in the Cederberg Wilderness Area.[3]

Habitat

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The species occurs at approximately 431 m above sea level in the Fynbos biome. Specimens have been collected using pitfall traps.[3]

Description

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See also: Glossary of spider terms

Male Cyrioctea sawadee have a brownish-yellow carapace with a black fovea and dark margin. The palp, chelicerae, mouthparts, and sternum are pale brown, while the legs are yellow with femora suffused with dark grey. The opisthosoma is pale grey with a distinctive dark pattern consisting of a central spot followed by four transverse bands. The venter is medium grey, darkening towards the yellow spinnerets.[1]

Conservation

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The species is listed as Data Deficient because the female remains unknown and it is known only from the type locality. It is protected in the Cederberg Wilderness Area, but more sampling is needed to collect females and determine the species' true range.[3]

References

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  1. ^ a b Jocqué, R. (2013). "Cyrioctea (Araneae, Zodariidae) in Africa: temperate Gondwanaland relict, recent radiation, or both?". European Journal of Taxonomy. 47: 1–12. doi:10.5852/ejt.2013.47.
  2. ^ "Cyrioctea sawadee Jocqué, 2013". World Spider Catalog. Retrieved 21 September 2025.
  3. ^ a b c d Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S.; Jocqué, R.; Haddad, C.R.; Foord, S.H.; Lotz, L.N. (2024). The Zodariidae of South Africa. Part 1 (A-D) version 1. South African National Survey of Arachnida Photo Identification Guide. p. 55. doi:10.5281/zenodo.14404920. Retrieved 21 September 2025. This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.