Moggridgea intermedia
| Knysna Moggridgea Trapdoor Spider | |
|---|---|
Rare
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Mygalomorphae |
| Family: | Migidae |
| Genus: | Moggridgea |
| Species: | M. intermedia
|
| Binomial name | |
| Moggridgea intermedia Hewitt, 1913[1]
| |
Moggridgea intermedia is a species of spider in the family Migidae.[2] It is endemic to the Western Cape province of South Africa and is commonly known as the Knysna Moggridgea trapdoor spider.[3]
It is assumed that the Australian outlier species Moggridgea rainbowi is most closely related to this species.[4]
Distribution
[edit]Moggridgea intermedia is known only from three localities in the Western Cape around Knysna, including Diepwalle Forest Station, Harkerville State Forest Krantzhoek, and Knysna State Forest.[3]
Habitat
[edit]The species inhabits the Forest biome at altitudes ranging from 45 to 425 m above sea level. It constructs nests both arboreally on tree trunks and in rocky environments.[3]
Description
[edit]Moggridgea intermedia is known from both sexes. Females construct oval, silken nests with a single, wafer door. The nests are built on tree trunks in a vertical orientation or in cracks and crevices in rocky outcrops or stone walls, where they are usually horizontal. Adults were collected in January and May.[3]
Conservation
[edit]Moggridgea intermedia is listed as Rare due to its small restricted distribution range. It has been recorded from three state forests, which provides some protection for the species.[3]
Taxonomy
[edit]The species was originally described by John Hewitt in 1913 and later revised by Charles E. Griswold in 1987. It is one of the few Moggridgea species known from both sexes.[5]
References
[edit]- ^ Hewitt, J. (1913). "Descriptions of new and little known species of trapdoor spiders (Ctenizidae and Migidae) from South Africa". Records of the Albany Museum Grahamstown. 2: 404–434.
- ^ "Moggridgea intermedia Hewitt, 1913". World Spider Catalog. Retrieved 21 September 2025.
- ^ a b c d e Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S.; Haddad, C.R.; Foord, S.H.; Lotz, L.N. (2021). The Migidae of South Africa. Version 1. South African National Survey of Arachnida Photo Identification Guide. p. 11. doi:10.5281/zenodo.6735880. Retrieved 21 September 2025.
This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.
- ^ Harrison, Sophie; Harvey, Mark; Cooper, Steve; Austin, Andrew; Rix, Michael (2 August 2017). "Across the Indian Ocean: A remarkable example of trans-oceanic dispersal in an austral mygalomorph spider". PLOS ONE. 12 (8): 16. Bibcode:2017PLoSO..1280139H. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0180139. PMC 5540276. PMID 28767648.
- ^ Griswold, C.E. (1987). "The African members of the trap-door spider family Migidae (Araneae: Mygalomorphae) 1: the genus Moggridgea O. P.-Cambridge, 1875". Annals of the Natal Museum. 28: 1–118.
