Rhaeboctesis exilis

Mussina Rhaeboctesis Sac Spider
	Female
	Female
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Subphylum:	Chelicerata
Class:	Arachnida
Order:	Araneae
Infraorder:	Araneomorphae
Family:	Liocranidae
Genus:	Rhaeboctesis
Species:	R. exilis
Binomial name
	Rhaeboctesis exilis; Tucker, 1920

Rhaeboctesis exilis is a species of spider in the family Liocranidae.^[2] It is endemic to South Africa and is commonly known as the Mussina rhaeboctesis sac spider.^[3]

Distribution

Rhaeboctesis exilis is found in three provinces of South Africa, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, and Mpumalanga.^[3] Notable locations include Ndumo Game Reserve, Kruger National Park, various nature reserves in the Limpopo Province, and the Lowveld National Botanical Garden.

Habitat and ecology

The species inhabits Indian Ocean Coastal Belt and Savanna biomes at altitudes ranging from 47 to 1,523 m above sea level.^[3] These are free-running ground spiders that are rarely encountered.

Description

Conservation

Rhaeboctesis exilis is listed as Least Concern due to its wide geographical range. The species is known from eight protected areas, and threats to this species are not considered significant.^[3]

Taxonomy

The species was originally described by Tucker in 1920 from Mussina (now Musina) in the Limpopo Province.^[1] The genus remains unrevised.^[3]

References

^ ^a ^b Tucker, R.W.E. (1920). "Contributions to the South African Arachnid Fauna. II. On some new South African spiders of the families Barychelidae, Dipluridae, Eresidae, Zodariidae, Heracliidae, Urocteidae, Clubionidae". Annals of the South African Museum. 17: 439–488.
^ "Rhaeboctesis exilis Tucker, 1920". World Spider Catalog. Retrieved 23 September 2025.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S.; Haddad, C.R.; Foord, S.H.; Lotz, L.N. (2021). The Liocranidae of South Africa. Version 1. South African National Survey of Arachnida Photo Identification Guide. p. 15. doi:10.5281/zenodo.6735570. Retrieved 23 September 2025. This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.

[tucker1920-1] Tucker, R.W.E. (1920). "Contributions to the South African Arachnid Fauna. II. On some new South African spiders of the families Barychelidae, Dipluridae, Eresidae, Zodariidae, Heracliidae, Urocteidae, Clubionidae". Annals of the South African Museum. 17: 439–488.

[wsc-2] "Rhaeboctesis exilis Tucker, 1920". World Spider Catalog. Retrieved 23 September 2025.

[dippenaar2021-3] Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S.; Haddad, C.R.; Foord, S.H.; Lotz, L.N. (2021). The Liocranidae of South Africa. Version 1. South African National Survey of Arachnida Photo Identification Guide. p. 15. doi:10.5281/zenodo.6735570. Retrieved 23 September 2025. This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.

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