Palystes stilleri

Palystes stilleri is a spider species in the family Sparassidae.^[2] It is endemic to South Africa and is commonly known as Stiller's rain spider.^[3]

Stiller's rain spider
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Subphylum:	Chelicerata
Class:	Arachnida
Order:	Araneae
Infraorder:	Araneomorphae
Family:	Sparassidae
Genus:	Palystes
Species:	P. stilleri
Binomial name
Palystes stilleri Croeser, 1996[1]

Distribution

Palystes stilleri is found in the Northern Cape and Western Cape provinces. The species has been sampled from the Hottentots Holland Mountains, and it is protected in Oorlogskloof Nature Reserve, Jonkershoek Nature Reserve, and Swartberg Nature Reserve. It occurs at altitudes ranging from 27 to 701 m.^[3]

Habitat and ecology

During the day, adults are inactive and shelter under loose bark, rotten logs or stones, or in any suitable crevice. One specimen was sampled from a rotting log in the Fynbos Biome.^[3]

Description

See also: Glossary of spider terms

Conservation

Palystes stilleri is listed as Least Concern by the South African National Biodiversity Institute due to its wide geographic range. The species is protected in Swartberg Nature Reserve, Oorlogskloof Nature Reserve, and Jonkershoek Nature Reserve.^[3]