Zelotes otavi
| Otavi's Dark Ground Spider | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Araneomorphae |
| Family: | Gnaphosidae |
| Genus: | Zelotes |
| Species: | Z. otavi
|
| Binomial name | |
| Zelotes otavi FitzPatrick, 2007[1]
| |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Zelotes otavi is a species of spider in the family Gnaphosidae.[2] It is commonly known as Otavi's dark ground spider and is endemic to southern Africa.[3]
Distribution
[edit]Zelotes otavi occurs in Namibia, Botswana, and South Africa. In South Africa, the species is known only from Limpopo province, where it has been recorded from locations including the Springbok Flats area, Goro Game Ranch, Western Soutpansberg, Lhuvhondo Nature Reserve, and Nwanedi Nature Reserve.[3]
Habitat and ecology
[edit]The species inhabits the Savanna biome at altitudes ranging from 973 to 1,523 m above sea level. Like other members of its genus, Zelotes otavi are free-running ground spiders that are found under stones during the day.[3]
Description
[edit]![[icon]](/wiki/File:Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg){kind=small} | This section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (September 2025) |
Conservation
[edit]Zelotes otavi is listed as Least Concern by the South African National Biodiversity Institute due to its wide range across southern Africa. In South Africa, the species receives protection in Lhuvhondo Nature Reserve. There are no significant threats identified for this species.[3]
Taxonomy
[edit]The species was originally described by Tucker in 1923 as Setaphis lightfooti, but this name was preoccupied by another species described by Purcell in 1907. Fitzpatrick provided the replacement name Zelotes otavi in 2007 and transferred the species from the genus Setaphis to Zelotes.[1]
References
[edit]- ^ a b FitzPatrick, M.J. (2007). "A taxonomic revision of the Afrotropical species of Zelotes (Arachnida: Araneae: Gnaphosidae)". Bulletin of the British Arachnological Society. 14 (3): 97–172. doi:10.13156/arac.2011.14.3.97.
- ^ "Zelotes otavi FitzPatrick, 2007". World Spider Catalog. Retrieved 2025-09-25.
- ^ a b c d Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S.; Haddad, C.R.; Foord, S.H.; Lotz, L.N. (2021). The Gnaphosidae of South Africa. Part 4 (Z). Version 1. South African National Survey of Arachnida Photo Identification Guide. p. 37. doi:10.5281/zenodo.7197783.
This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.
