Theuma maculata

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Beaufortwest Theuma Long Spinnered Ground Spider
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Infraorder: Araneomorphae
Family: Prodidomidae
Genus: Theuma
Species:
T. maculata
Binomial name
Theuma maculata

Theuma maculata is a species of spider in the family Prodidomidae.[2] It is a southern African endemic commonly known as the Beaufortwest Theuma long spinnered ground spider.[3]

Distribution

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Theuma maculata occurs in three southern African countries: Botswana, Zimbabwe, and South Africa.[3] In South Africa, it is recorded from six provinces: Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape, and Western Cape.[3]

Notable locations include Ithala Nature Reserve, Ndumo Game Reserve, Augrabies National Park, Richtersveld Transfrontier National Park, Tswalu Nature Reserve, and Karoo National Park.[3]

Habitat and ecology

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Theuma maculata is a free-running ground dweller found in Fynbos, Grassland, Nama Karoo, Savanna, and Succulent Karoo biomes.[3] The species inhabits altitudes ranging from 140 to 1,593 m above sea level.[3]

Description

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See also: Glossary of spider terms

Conservation

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Theuma maculata is listed as Least Concern by the South African National Biodiversity Institute due to its wide geographical range.[3] There are no significant threats to the species, and it is protected in more than ten protected areas.[3]

Taxonomy

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The species was originally described by William Frederick Purcell in 1907 from Beaufort West in the Western Cape.[1] It has not been revised but is known from both sexes.[3]

References

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  1. ^ a b Purcell, W.F. (1907). "New South African spiders of the family Drassidae in the collection of the South African Museum". Annals and Magazine of Natural History. 7. 20 (118): 302. doi:10.1080/00222930709487339.
  2. ^ "Theuma maculata Purcell, 1907". World Spider Catalog. Retrieved 24 September 2025.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S.; Haddad, C.R.; Foord, S.H.; Lotz, L.N. (2023). The Prodidomidae of South Africa. Version 1. South African National Survey of Arachnida Photo Identification Guide. p. 32. doi:10.5281/zenodo.7515818. Retrieved 24 September 2025. This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.