Zelotes pulchripes
| Steinkopf's Dark Ground Spider | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Araneomorphae |
| Family: | Gnaphosidae |
| Genus: | Zelotes |
| Species: | Z. pulchripes
|
| Binomial name | |
| Zelotes pulchripes (Purcell, 1908)[1]
| |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Zelotes pulchripes is a species of spider in the family Gnaphosidae.[2] It is commonly known as Steinkopf's dark ground spider and is endemic to South Africa.[3]
Distribution
[edit]Zelotes pulchripes is known only from the type locality Steinkopf in the Northern Cape.[3]
Habitat and ecology
[edit]The species inhabits the Succulent Karoo biome at an altitude of 870 m above sea level. They are free-running ground spiders 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 pulchripes is listed as Data Deficient because it is known only from the type locality. More sampling is needed to determine the species' range. There are no significant threats to the species.[3]
Taxonomy
[edit]The species was originally described by Purcell in 1908 as Melanophora pulchripes. According to Fitzpatrick (2007), the species is misplaced in the genus Zelotes based on the absence of preening comb on leg IV.[3]
References
[edit]- ^ Purcell, W.F. (1908). "Araneae (I). In: Schultze, L. (ed.): Zoologische und anthropologische Ergebnisse einer Forschungsreise im westlichen und zentralen Südafrika". Denkschriften der Medizinisch-Naturwissenschaftlichen Gesellschaft zu Jena. 13: 203–246.
- ^ "Zelotes pulchripes (Purcell, 1908)". World Spider Catalog. Retrieved 2025-09-25.
- ^ a b c d e 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. 40. doi:10.5281/zenodo.7197783.
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