Zelotes zonognathus

Zelotes zonognathus is a species of spider in the family Gnaphosidae.^[2] It is commonly known as Eierfontein dark ground spider and occurs widely in Africa.^[3]

Eierfontein Dark Ground Spider
Conservation status
Least Concern (SANBI Red List)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Subphylum:	Chelicerata
Class:	Arachnida
Order:	Araneae
Infraorder:	Araneomorphae
Family:	Gnaphosidae
Genus:	Zelotes
Species:	Z. zonognathus
Binomial name
Zelotes zonognathus (Purcell, 1907)[1]
Synonyms
Melanophora zonognathus Purcell, 1907

Distribution

Zelotes zonognathus is found in DRC, Ivory Coast, Mali, Namibia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa. In South Africa, it is recorded from five provinces: Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Northern Cape, and North West.^[3]

Habitat and ecology

The species occurs at altitudes ranging from 83 to 1,516 m above sea level. They are free-running ground spiders found under stones during the day and inhabit the Grassland and Savanna biomes.^[3]

Description

See also: Glossary of spider terms

Conservation

Zelotes zonognathus is listed as Least Concern by the South African National Biodiversity Institute due to its wide range. The species is protected in Erfenisdam Nature Reserve, Sandveld Nature Reserve, Ndumo Game Reserve, and uMkhuze Game Reserve. There are no significant threats to the species.^[3]

Etymology

The species is named after the farm Eierfontein near Hanover where it was originally collected.^[3]

Taxonomy

The species was originally described by Purcell in 1907 from the farm Eierfontein near Hanover as Melanophora zonognathus. It was revised by FitzPatrick in 2007 and is known from both sexes.^[3]