Hortipes contubernalis

Entabeni basket-legged spider
Rare
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Infraorder: Araneomorphae
Family: Corinnidae
Genus: Hortipes
Species:
H. contubernalis
Binomial name
Hortipes contubernalis
Bosselaers & Jocqué, 2000[1]

Hortipes contubernalis is a species of spider in the family Corinnidae.[2] It is endemic to South Africa and is commonly known as the Entabeni basket-legged spider.[3]

Distribution

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Hortipes contubernalis is endemic to Limpopo province in South Africa.[3] It is known from Entabeni State Forest, Hanglip Forest, and Lhuvhondo Nature Reserve.[3]

Habitat and ecology

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The species inhabits Forest and Savanna biomes at altitudes ranging from 969 to 1,339 m above sea level.[3] It is strongly associated with leaf litter in woodland habitats.[3]

Description

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Hortipes contubernalis is known from both sexes.[3]

Conservation

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Hortipes contubernalis is regarded as Rare due to its small restricted distribution range.[3] The species is protected in Lhuvhondo Nature Reserve, and while there are farming activities around two localities, patches of indigenous forest remain where the species can thrive.[3]

References

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  1. ^ Bosselaers, J.; Jocqué, R. (2000). "Hortipes, a huge genus of tiny Afrotropical spiders (Araneae, Liocranidae)". Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History. 256: 1–108. doi:10.1206/0003-0090(2000)256<0004:HAHGOT>2.0.CO;2.
  2. ^ "Hortipes contubernalis Bosselaers & Jocqué, 2000". World Spider Catalog. Retrieved 22 September 2025.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h Haddad, C.R.; Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S.; Foord, S.H.; Lotz, L.N. (2023). The Corinnidae of South Africa. Version 1. South African National Survey of Arachnida Photo Identification Guide. p. 43. doi:10.5281/zenodo.8300753. This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.