Smodicinus

Smodicinus coroniger is a species of crab spider in the family Thomisidae. It is the only species in the genus Smodicinus and is endemic to Africa.^[1] It is commonly known as the crowned Smodicinus crab spider.

Crowned Smodicinus crab spider
from Zimbabwe
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Subphylum:	Chelicerata
Class:	Arachnida
Order:	Araneae
Infraorder:	Araneomorphae
Family:	Thomisidae
Genus:	Smodicinus
Species:	S. coroniger
Binomial name
Smodicinus coroniger Simon, 1895
Synonyms
Smodicinus affinis Lessert, 1943

Etymology

The specific name coroniger derives from the Latin corona (crown) and the suffix -iger (bearing), referring to the distinctive crown-like crest on the carapace.

Distribution

Smodicinus coroniger has been recorded from Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and South Africa.^[1][2] In South Africa, it occurs in the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, and Limpopo provinces.^[2]

Habitat

Smodicinus coroniger is a free-living plant-dweller found primarily on trees in savanna, Indian Ocean Coastal Belt, and thicket biomes. It inhabits elevations ranging from 1 to 1,097 metres above sea level.^[2]

Description

See also: Glossary of spider terms

Smodicinus coroniger is a small crab spider with a total length of 3–6 mm for both females and males.^[2] The species is easily recognised by its highly distinctive carapace, which is elevated to form a prominent crest directed posteriorly. This crest is divided into six pointed tubercles that are flattened above: two tubercles point backwards (posteriorly) and four point sideways (laterally).^[2]

The carapace is pale brown, suffused with yellow, and sometimes bears white markings on the edges. The sternum and mouthparts are yellowish-brown. Both eye rows are recurved, with the lateral eyes being larger than the median eyes.^[2]

The opisthosoma is blackish and mottled with white or displays distinct white markings. The legs are the same color as the carapace and are banded with white.^[2]

Behaviour and life cycle

Adult males have been recorded from November to March, while females occur from October to January.^[3] The species is considered very rare and is mainly sampled from trees.^[2]

Conservation status

Smodicinus coroniger is listed as Least Concern in South Africa due to its wide geographical range across multiple African countries.^[2] The species is protected in eight protected areas and faces no known threats.^[2]

Taxonomy

The genus Smodicinus was established by Eugène Simon in 1895, with S. coroniger as the type species.^[4] Smodicinus affinis Lessert, 1943 was later synonymised with S. coroniger by Dippenaar-Schoeman in 1980.^[3]