// Workers AI · dad joke modeWhat did Spiroctenus fossorius say? "I'm in a hole lot of trouble
| Port Elizabeth Spiroctenus Trapdoor Spider | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Mygalomorphae |
| Family: | Bemmeridae |
| Genus: | Spiroctenus |
| Species: | S. fossorius |
| Binomial name | |
| Spiroctenus fossorius (Pocock, 1900) | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Spiroctenus fossorius is a species of spider in the family Bemmeridae. It is endemic to the Eastern Cape province of South Africa.[1]
Distribution
[edit]Spiroctenus fossorius is known only from the type locality at Port Elizabeth.[2]
Habitat
[edit]The species inhabits the Thicket Biome as a ground-dwelling burrow constructor.[2]
Description
[edit]Only females of Spiroctenus fossorius are known to science.[3] The labium and maxillae each bear approximately 20 cuspules. The paired tarsal claws have 3-4 teeth on both inner and outer margins. The posterior sternal sigilla are subcentral. The carapace and legs are pale reddish in color. The total length is 12 millimeters.[3]
Conservation
[edit]The species is listed as Data Deficient for taxonomic reasons, as males remain unknown and the full species range requires further study.[2]
References
[edit]- ↑ "Spiroctenus fossorius (Pocock, 1900)". World Spider Catalog. Retrieved 19 September 2025.
- 1 2 3 Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S.; Haddad, C.R.; Foord, S.H.; Lotz, L.N. (2021). The Bemmeridae of South Africa. Version 1. South African National Survey of Arachnida Photo Identification Guide. Irene. pp. 1–41. doi:10.5281/zenodo.7810486.
This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license. - 1 2 Pocock, R.I. (1900). "Some new Arachnida from Cape Colony". Annals and Magazine of Natural History. 6 (33): 316–333.