Idiops hepburni

Idiops hepburni is a species of spider in the family Idiopidae.^[2] It occurs in South Africa and Lesotho and is commonly known as the Majubas Neck Idiops trapdoor spider.^[3]

Majubas Neck Idiops Trapdoor Spider
Conservation status
Data Deficient  (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Subphylum:	Chelicerata
Class:	Arachnida
Order:	Araneae
Infraorder:	Mygalomorphae
Family:	Idiopidae
Genus:	Idiops
Species:	I. hepburni
Binomial name
Idiops hepburni (Hewitt, 1919)[1]
Synonyms
Acanthodon hepburni Hewitt, 1919

Distribution

Idiops hepburni is recorded from the Eastern Cape in South Africa and has also been sampled in Lesotho. The species occurs at altitudes ranging from 1,685 to 1,741 m above sea level.^[3]

Habitat and ecology

The species inhabits the Grassland biome. It lives in silk-lined burrows closed with a trapdoor.^[3]

Description

See also: Glossary of spider terms

Idiops hepburni is known from both sexes. The carapace and appendages are yellowish brown, while the abdomen is superiorly slightly infuscated. Total length is 10 mm in males and 15 mm in females.^[3]

Conservation

Idiops hepburni is listed as Data Deficient due to insufficient knowledge about its location, distribution and threats. The species is under-collected and more sampling is needed to determine its range.^[3]

Taxonomy

The species was originally described by John Hewitt in 1919 as Acanthodon hepburni from Majuba Neck. The species has not been revised.^[3]