Ariadna capensis

Ariadna capensis
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Subphylum:	Chelicerata
Class:	Arachnida
Order:	Araneae
Infraorder:	Araneomorphae
Family:	Segestriidae
Genus:	Ariadna
Species:	A. capensis
Binomial name
	Ariadna capensis; Purcell, 1904

Short description: Species of spider

Ariadna capensis is a species of spider in the family Segestriidae.^[2] It is endemic to the Western Cape of South Africa.^[3]

Distribution

Ariadna capensis is known from three locations in the Western Cape, Wynberg Caves on Table Mountain, and two sites in the Cederberg Wilderness Area at Sawadee and Wupperthal. The species occurs at altitudes ranging from 24 to 481 m above sea level.^[3]

Habitat and ecology

The species inhabits the Fynbos biome and constructs tube signal-webs made in crevices of walls, rocks, fallen tree trunks, or bark of trees.^[3]

Description

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Conservation

Ariadna capensis is listed as Data Deficient for taxonomic reasons. More sampling is needed to collect males and determine the species' range. The species is protected in the Cederberg Wilderness Area and Table Mountain National Park.^[3]

Taxonomy

The species was originally described by W. F. Purcell in 1904 from Wynberg Hill, Table Mountain. Only females are known. Females have a brownish-red carapace with the head darker, especially in the anterior region. Chelicerae are reddish-black and the labium is dark brown, paler at apex. The abdomen is purplish-black with a narrow yellow line on each side. Total length is 9.25 mm.^[3]

References

↑ Purcell, W.F. (1904). "Descriptions of new genera and species of South African spiders". Transactions of the South African Philosophical Society 15: 115–173. doi:10.1080/21560382.1904.9626437.
↑ "Ariadna capensis Purcell, 1904". World Spider Catalog. https://wsc.nmbe.ch/species/33841. Retrieved 2025-09-28.
↑ ^3.0 ^3.1 ^3.2 ^3.3 ^3.4 Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S.; Haddad, C.R.; Foord, S.H.; Lotz, L.N. (2021). The Segestriidae of South Africa. Version 1. South African National Survey of Arachnida Photo Identification Guide. pp. 1–22. doi:10.5281/zenodo.7162194. This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.