Selenops radiatus

Selenops radiatus is a species of spider in the family Selenopidae.^[2] It has a cosmopolitan distribution found in the Mediterranean, Africa, Middle East, India, Myanmar and China and is commonly known as the Common Selenops flat spider.^[3]

Common Selenops Flat Spider
A room mate in Mbinga, Tanzania
S. radiatus the wild
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Subphylum:	Chelicerata
Class:	Arachnida
Order:	Araneae
Infraorder:	Araneomorphae
Family:	Selenopidae
Genus:	Selenops
Species:	S. radiatus
Binomial name
Selenops radiatus Latreille, 1819[1]
Synonyms[2]
Selenops omalosoma Dufour, 1820 Selenops aegyptiaca Audouin, 1826 Selenops annulipes Walckenaer, 1837 Selenops peregrinator Walckenaer, 1837 Selenops alacer Blackwall, 1865 Selenops sansibaricus Gerstaecker, 1873 Selenops radiata Simon, 1875 Selenops latreillei Simon, 1875 Selenops malabarensis Simon, 1880 Selenops birmanicus Thorell, 1895 Selenops diversus O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1898 Selenops strandi Caporiacco, 1941 Selenops montanus Caporiacco, 1947 Selenops röweri Caporiacco, 1949 Selenops sumitrae Patel & Patel, 1973 Selenops cordatus Zhu, Sha & Chen, 1990

Distribution

Selenops radiatus is a cosmopolitan species with a very wide global distribution.^[3]

Habitat and ecology

The species is a free-living cryptozoic nocturnal spider that is commonly found in houses and outbuildings as well as in a wide range of other habitats. It inhabits Grassland, Savanna and Thicket biomes. The species may play a role in regulating populations of potato tuber moths, cockroaches and silver-fish.^[3]

Description

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See also: Glossary of spider terms

A species known from both sexes. Carapace brown with dark striae radiating forwards and sideways from fovea. abdomen above with dark median area and dark mottled brown on sides, a few white speckles among the predominating brown ones. Legs grey with femora paler and all legs with distinct white bands.^[3]

Conservation

Selenops radiatus is listed as Least Concern by the South African National Biodiversity Institute due to its wide global geographical range. In South Africa, the species is protected in five reserves: Platberg Nature Reserve, Roodeplaatdam Nature Reserve, Tswaing Crater Nature Reserve, Sabie Sabie Reserve and Kruger National Park.^[3]

Taxonomy

S. radiatus was originally described by Latreille in 1819. It has numerous synonyms reflecting its wide distribution and historical taxonomic confusion. The species has been extensively revised by multiple authors over time.^[3]

Subspecies

These two subspecies belong to the species Selenops radiatus:

• Selenops radiatus fuscus Franganillo, 1926
• Selenops radiatus radiatus Latreille, 1819