Cyrioctea lotzi
| Cyrioctea lotzi | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Araneomorphae |
| Family: | Zodariidae |
| Genus: | Cyrioctea |
| Species: | C. lotzi |
| Binomial name | |
| Cyrioctea lotzi | |
Cyrioctea lotzi is a species of spider in the family Zodariidae.[2] It is endemic to South Africa.[3]
Etymology
[edit]The species in named after South African arachnologist Leon N. Lotz.
Distribution
[edit]Cyrioctea lotzi is known from two localities: Deelfontein in the Free State and Benfontein Nature Reserve in the Northern Cape.[3]
Habitat
[edit]The species occurs at altitudes ranging from 1172 to 1298 m above sea level in the Grassland biome.[3]
Description
[edit]![[icon]](/everything/wiki/File:Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg){kind=small} | This section needs expansion. You can help by adding missing information. (September 2025) |
Male Cyrioctea lotzi have a brownish-yellow carapace with a black fovea and dark margin. The palp, chelicerae, mouthparts, sternum, and legs are yellow, with the femora suffused with dark grey. The opisthosoma is pale grey with a faint darker dorsal median stripe, while the venter and spinnerets are pale.[1]
Conservation
[edit]The species is listed as Data Deficient because the female is unknown and it appears to be rare with very limited sampling. It is protected in Benfontein Nature Reserve, but more sampling is needed to collect females and determine the species' true range.[3]
References
[edit]- 1 2 Jocqué, R. (2013). "Cyrioctea (Araneae, Zodariidae) in Africa: temperate Gondwanaland relict, recent radiation, or both?". European Journal of Taxonomy. 47: 1–12. doi:10.5852/ejt.2013.47.
- ↑ "Cyrioctea lotzi Jocqué, 2013". World Spider Catalog. Retrieved 21 September 2025.
- 1 2 3 4 Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S.; Jocqué, R.; Haddad, C.R.; Foord, S.H.; Lotz, L.N. (2024). The Zodariidae of South Africa. Part 1 (A-D) version 1. South African National Survey of Arachnida Photo Identification Guide. p. 53. doi:10.5281/zenodo.14404920. Retrieved 21 September 2025.
This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.