Idiops gracilipes
| East London Idiops Trapdoor Spider | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Mygalomorphae |
| Family: | Idiopidae |
| Genus: | Idiops |
| Species: | I. gracilipes
|
| Binomial name | |
| Idiops gracilipes (Hewitt, 1919)[1]
| |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Idiops gracilipes is a species of spider in the family Idiopidae.[2] It is endemic to South Africa and is commonly known as the East London Idiops trapdoor spider.[3]
Distribution
[edit]Idiops gracilipes is an Eastern Cape endemic known only from the type locality East London at an altitude of 56 m above sea level.[3]
Habitat and ecology
[edit]The species inhabits the Thicket biome. It lives in silk-lined burrows closed with a trapdoor.[3]
Description
[edit]Idiops gracilipes is known from both sexes. The carapace and appendages are yellowish brown, while the abdomen is somewhat infuscated superiorly. Total length is 13 mm in males and 15 mm in females.[3]
![[icon]](/wiki/File:Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg){kind=small} | This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (September 2025) |
Conservation
[edit]Idiops gracilipes is listed as Data Deficient due to insufficient knowledge about its distribution, habitat and threats. More sampling is needed to determine the species' range.[3]
Taxonomy
[edit]The species was originally described by John Hewitt in 1919 as Acanthodon gracilipes from East London. The species has not been revised.[3]
References
[edit]- ^ Hewitt, J. (1919). "Descriptions of new South African Araneae and Solifugae". Annals of the Transvaal Museum. 6: 63–111.
- ^ "Idiops gracilipes (Hewitt, 1919)". World Spider Catalog. Retrieved 23 September 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S.; Haddad, C.R.; Foord, S.H.; Lotz, L.N. (2021). The Idiopidae of South Africa. Version 1. South African National Survey of Arachnida Photo Identification Guide. p. 38. doi:10.5281/zenodo.6324502. Retrieved 23 September 2025.
This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.
