Ariadna similis

Mafikeng Tube-Web Spider
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Subphylum:	Chelicerata
Class:	Arachnida
Order:	Araneae
Infraorder:	Araneomorphae
Family:	Segestriidae
Genus:	Ariadna
Species:	A. similis
Binomial name
	Ariadna similis; Purcell, 1908

Short description: Species of spider

Ariadna similis is a species of spider in the family Segestriidae.^[2] It is endemic to the North West province of South Africa and is commonly known as the Mafikeng tube-web spider.^[3]

Distribution

Ariadna similis is known only from the type locality Mafikeng in the North West province, at an altitude of 1,289 m above sea level.^[3]

Habitat and ecology

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

Description

The species resembles A. bilineata but is larger and darker in colour. Females have a reddish-yellow to dark reddish-brown carapace, darker anteriorly, with a hairy surface usually finely veined with black. Chelicerae are yellowish-red to black.^[3]

The abdomen has a fine, pale line running from end to end down the middle. Legs are faintly or strongly infuscated, with the anterior pairs darker than the posterior ones. Total length is 11.5 mm.^[3]

Conservation

Ariadna similis is listed as data deficient for taxonomic reasons. More sampling is needed to collect males and determine the species' range.^[3]

Taxonomy

The species was originally described by W. F. Purcell in 1908 from Mafikeng. Only females are known.^[3]

References

↑ Purcell, W.F. (1908). "Araneae". Denkschriften der Medizinisch-Naturwissenschaftlichen Gesellschaft zu Jena 13: 203-246.
↑ "Ariadna similis Purcell, 1908". World Spider Catalog. https://wsc.nmbe.ch/species/33908. Retrieved 2025-09-28.
↑ ^3.0 ^3.1 ^3.2 ^3.3 ^3.4 ^3.5 ^3.6 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.