Gea infuscata

Gea infuscata is a species of spider in the family Araneidae, found from Sudan to South Africa.^[2]

Gea infuscata
Conservation status
Least Concern (SANBI Red List)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Subphylum:	Chelicerata
Class:	Arachnida
Order:	Araneae
Infraorder:	Araneomorphae
Family:	Araneidae
Genus:	Gea
Species:	G. infuscata
Binomial name
Gea infuscata Tullgren, 1910[1]

Distribution

Gea infuscata is known from Tanzania, Angola, Botswana, Sudan and South Africa.^[3] The species is possibly under-collected and is suspected to occur in more countries in between. In South Africa, it occurs in five provinces across a large geographical range at altitudes from 1 to 1,323 m above sea level.^[3]

The South African distribution includes Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, and Western Cape provinces. Notable localities include Jeffrey's Bay, Addo Elephant National Park, Ndumo Game Reserve, iSimangaliso Wetland park, Tembe Elephant Park, Polokwane Nature Reserve, and Knysna.^[3]

Habitat and ecology

The spider constructs an orb-web with a round zigzag stabilimentum, giving it a doily appearance. The species has been sampled from the Fynbos, Forest and Savanna biomes.^[3]

Description

See also: Glossary of spider terms

Conservation

Gea infuscata is listed as Least Concern by the South African National Biodiversity Institute due to its wide geographical distribution.^[3] The species is protected in several reserves including Addo Elephant National Park, Mkhambathi Nature Reserve, Ndumo Game Reserve, Tembe Elephant Park and Polokwane Nature Reserve. No conservation actions are recommended.^[3]

Taxonomy

The species has not been revised and is known from both sexes.^[3]