Zelotes reduncus
| Common Dark Ground Spider | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Araneomorphae |
| Family: | Gnaphosidae |
| Genus: | Zelotes |
| Species: | Z. reduncus
|
| Binomial name | |
| Zelotes reduncus (Purcell, 1907)[1]
| |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Zelotes reduncus is a species of spider in the family Gnaphosidae.[2] It is commonly known as common dark ground spider and occurs in southern Africa.[3]
Distribution
[edit]Zelotes reduncus occurs in Lesotho and South Africa. In South Africa, it has a wide distribution and is recorded from eight provinces: Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape, and Western Cape.[3]
Habitat and ecology
[edit]The species has a wide altitudinal range, occurring from 4 to 2,892 m above sea level. They are free-running ground spiders found under stones during the day and inhabit the Fynbos, Grassland, Nama and Succulent Karoo, and Savanna biomes.[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 reduncus is listed as Least Concern by the South African National Biodiversity Institute due to its wide range. The species is protected in more than ten protected areas. There are no significant threats to the species.[3]
Taxonomy
[edit]The species was originally described by Purcell in 1907 from Kalkbay Mountains as Melanophora redunca. Fitzpatrick (2007) revised the species and synonymized Zelotes anchora Tucker, 1923 with this species. It is known from both sexes.[3]
References
[edit]- ^ 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. 20 (118): 297–336. doi:10.1080/00222930709487339.
- ^ "Zelotes reduncus (Purcell, 1907)". 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. 43. doi:10.5281/zenodo.7197783.
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