Hexophthalma spatulata

Hexophthalma spatulata is a species of spider in the family Sicariidae.^[2] It is endemic to South Africa.^[3]

Hexophthalma spatulata
Conservation status
Least Concern (SANBI Red List)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Subphylum:	Chelicerata
Class:	Arachnida
Order:	Araneae
Infraorder:	Araneomorphae
Family:	Sicariidae
Genus:	Hexophthalma
Species:	H. spatulata
Binomial name
Hexophthalma spatulata (Pocock, 1900)[1]
Synonyms
Sicarius spatulatus Pocock, 1900

Distribution

Hexophthalma spatulata is known from two provinces in South Africa, the Eastern Cape and Western Cape. It occurs at altitudes ranging from 4 to 756 m above sea level.^[3]

Habitat and ecology

The species is a free-living ground dweller found in the Fynbos biome.^[3]

Description

See also: Glossary of spider terms

Conservation

Hexophthalma spatulata is listed as Least Concern by the South African National Biodiversity Institute due to its wide geographical range. The species is protected in Addo Elephant National Park, De Hoop Nature Reserve and Kammanasie Nature Reserve.^[3]

Taxonomy

The species was originally described by Reginald Innes Pocock in 1900 as Sicarius spatulatus from Port Elizabeth. It was later transferred to the genus Hexophthalma by Magalhães et al. in 2017. The species has been revised by Lotz (2012, 2018) and Magalhães et al. (2017) and is known from both sexes.^[3]