// Workers AI · dad joke modeWhat did Palystes crawshayi say? "I'm stuck on you.

Lesotho rain spider
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Subphylum:	Chelicerata
Class:	Arachnida
Order:	Araneae
Infraorder:	Araneomorphae
Family:	Sparassidae
Genus:	Palystes
Species:	P. crawshayi
Binomial name
	Palystes crawshayi; Pocock, 1902

Palystes crawshayi is a spider species in the family Sparassidae.^[2] It is found in southern Africa and is commonly known as the Lesotho rain spider.^[3]

Distribution

Palystes crawshayi is recorded from Lesotho and South Africa.^[2]

In South Africa, it is known from the Free State, where it has been sampled from Zastron and Bloemfontein. The species occurs at altitudes ranging from 1,375 to 1,841 m.^[3]

Habitat and ecology

Palystes crawshayi is a nocturnal plant dweller. During the day, adults are inactive and shelter on vegetation. The species has also been sampled from buildings in Bloemfontein. A specimen from Zastron was sampled hiding in a rotten log in the Grassland Biome.^[3]

Description

Conservation

Palystes crawshayi is listed as Least Concern by the South African National Biodiversity Institute. Much natural habitat remains within this species' range, and it is suspected to be under-sampled.^[3]

Taxonomy

Palystes crawshayi was originally described by Pocock in 1902 from Lesotho. The species was revised by Croeser in 1996.^[3]

References

↑ Pocock, R.I. (1902). "Descriptions of some new species of African Solifugae and Araneae". Annals and Magazine of Natural History. 7. 10 (55): 6–27. doi:10.1080/00222930208678627.
1 2 "Palystes crawshayi Pocock, 1902". World Spider Catalog. Natural History Museum Bern. doi:10.24436/2. Retrieved 2025-10-01.
1 2 3 4 5 Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S.; Haddad, C.R.; Foord, S.H.; Lotz, L.N. (2022). The Sparassidae of South Africa. Version 2. South African National Survey of Arachnida Photo Identification Guide. p. 39. doi:10.5281/zenodo.6614498. This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.

[pocock1902-1] Pocock, R.I. (1902). "Descriptions of some new species of African Solifugae and Araneae". Annals and Magazine of Natural History. 7. 10 (55): 6–27. doi:10.1080/00222930208678627.

[wsc-2] 1 2 "Palystes crawshayi Pocock, 1902". World Spider Catalog. Natural History Museum Bern. doi:10.24436/2. Retrieved 2025-10-01.

[dippenaar2022-3] 1 2 3 4 5 Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S.; Haddad, C.R.; Foord, S.H.; Lotz, L.N. (2022). The Sparassidae of South Africa. Version 2. South African National Survey of Arachnida Photo Identification Guide. p. 39. doi:10.5281/zenodo.6614498. This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.

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