Research
Theridiidae
Latrodectus Walckenaer 1805
Species that occur in the Afrotropical Region
LATRODECTUS GEOMETRICUS-GROUP
Latrodectus geometricus C.L. Koch 1841
Latrodectus rhodesiensis Mackay 1972
LATRODECTUS TREDECIMGUTTATUS-GROUP
Latrodectus cinctus Blackwall 1865
Latrodectus indistinctus O.P.- Cambridge 1904
Latrodectus karrooensis Smithers 1944
Latrodectus pallidus O.P.- Cambridge 1872
Latrodectus renivulvatus Dahl 1902
Latrodectus tredecimguttatus (Rossi1790)
Latrodectus menavodi Vinson 1863
Latrodectus hystrix Simon 1890
Miturgidae
Cheiracanthium C.L. Koch, 1839
Species that occur in the Afrotropical Region
Cheiracanthium aculeutum Simon, 1884
Cheiracanthium aden Lotz, 2007
Cheiracanthium africanum Lessert, 1921
Cheiracanthium aladanensis Lotz, 2007
Cheiracanthium angolensis Lotz, 2007
Cheiracanthium debile Simon, 1890 15
Cheiracanthium denisi Caporiacco, 1939 18
Cheiracanthium dippenaarae Lotz, 2007
Cheiracanthium furculatum Karsch, 1879 21
Cheiracanthium halophilum Schmidt & Piepho, 1994
Cheiracanthium haroniensis Lotz, 2007
Cheiracanthium insulare (Vinson, 1863)
Cheiracanthium joculare Simon, 1910
Cheiracanthium kenyaensis Lotz, 2007
Cheiracanthium kibonotense Lessert, 1921
Cheiracanthium kupensis Lotz, 2007
Cheiracanthium leucophaeum Simon, 1897
Cheiracanthium ludovici Lessert, 1921
Cheiracanthium malkini Lotz, 2007
Cheiracanthium maraisi Lotz, 2007
Cheiracanthium minshullae Lotz, 2007
Cheiracanthium molle L. Koch, 1875
Cheiracanthium peregrinum Thorell, 1899
Cheiracanthium punctipedellum Caporiacco, 1949
Cheiracanthium russellsmithi Lotz, 2007
Cheiracanthium sansibaricum Strand, 1907
Cheiracanthium schenkeli Caporiacco, 1949
Cheiracanthium shiluvanensis Lotz, 2007
Cheiracanthium simplex Thorell, 1899
Cheiracanthium tetragnathoide Caporiacco, 1949
Cheiracanthium vansoni Lawrence, 1936
Cheiracanthium wilma (Benoit, 1977)
Cheiramiona
Lotz & Dippenaar-Schoeman, 1999
Species that occur in the Afrotropical Region
Cheiramiona akermani (Lawrence, 1942)
Cheiramiona amarifontis Lotz, 2001
Cheiramiona ansiae Lotz, 2001
Cheiramiona brandbergensis Lotz, 2005
Cheiramiona clavigerum (Simon, 1897)
Cheiramiona collinita (Lawrence, 1938)
Cheiramiona ferrumfontis Lotz, 2001
Cheiramiona filipes (Simon, 1898)
Cheiramiona florisbadensis Lotz, 2001
Cheiramiona fontanus Lotz, 2001
Cheiramiona hewitti (Lessert, 1921)
Cheiramiona jocquei Lotz, 2001
Cheiramiona kalongensis Lotz, 2001
Cheiramiona kentaniensis Lotz, 2001
Cheiramiona krugerensis Lotz, 2001
Cheiramiona lajuma Lotz, 2001
Cheiramiona langi Lotz, 2001
Cheiramiona lejeunei Lotz, 2001
Cheiramiona mlawula Lotz, 2001
Cheiramiona muvalensis Lotz, 2001
Cheiramiona paradises Lotz, 2001
Cheiramiona regis Lotz, 2001
Cheiramiona ruwenzoricola (Strand, 1915)
Cheiramiona silvicolum (Lawrence, 1938)
Cheiramiona simplicitarse (Simon, 1910)
Cheiramiona stellenboschiensis Lotz, 2001
Sicariidae
Loxosceles Heineken & Lowe, 1832
Species that occur in the Afrotropical Region
Loxosceles fontainei Millot, 1941
Loxosceles foutadjalloni Millot, 1941
Loxosceles lacroixi Millot, 1941
Loxosceles meruensis Tullgren, 1910
Loxosceles neuvillei Simon, 1909
Loxosceles pallidecolorata (Strand, 1906
Loxosceles parrami Newlands, 1981
Loxosceles rufescens (Dufour, 1820
Loxosceles smithi Simon, 1897
Loxosceles speluncarum Simon, 1893
Loxosceles spinulosa Purcell, 1904
Loxosceles valida Lawrence, 1964
Loxosceles vonwredei Newlands, 1980
Sicarius
Walckenaer, 1847
Species that occur in the Afrotropical Region
Sicarius albospinosus Purcell, 1908
Sicarius damarensis Lawrence, 1928
Sicarius dolichocephalus Lawrence, 1928
Sicarius hahni (Karsch, 1878)
Sicarius spatulatus Pocock, 1900
Sicarius testaceus Purcell, 1908
Archaeidae
Afrarchaea Heineken & Lowe, 1832
Species that occur in the Afrotropical Region
Afrarchaea bergae Lotz, 1996
Afrarchaea entabeniensis Lotz, 2003
Afrarchaea fernkloofensis Lotz, 1996
Afrarchaea fisheri Lotz, 2003
Afrarchaea godfreyi (Hewitt, 1919)
Afrarchaea haddadi Lotz, 2006
Afrarchaea harveyi Lotz, 2003
Afrarchaea kranskopensis Lotz, 1996
Afrarchaea lawrencei Lotz, 1996
Afrarchaea mahariraensis Lotz, 2003
Afrarchaea ngomensis Lotz, 1996
Afrarchaea royalensis Lotz, 2006
Afrarchaea woodae Lotz, 2006
Eriauchenius
O. P. Cambridge, 1881
Species that occur in the Afrotropical Region
Eriauchenius ambre Wood, 2008
Eriauchenius anabohazo Wood, 2008
Eriauchenius borimontsina Wood, 2008
Eriauchenius bourgini (Millot, 1948)
Eriauchenius cornutus (Lotz, 2003)
Eriauchenius gracilicollis (Millot, 1948)
Eriauchenius griswoldi Wood, 2008
Eriauchenius halambohitra Wood, 2008
Eriauchenius jeanneli (Millot, 1948)
Eriauchenius lavatenda Wood, 2008
Eriauchenius legendrei (Platnick, 1991)
Eriauchenius namoroka Wood, 2008
Eriauchenius pauliani (Legendre, 1970)
Eriauchenius ratsirarsoni (Lotz, 2003)
Eriauchenius spiceri Wood, 2008)
Eriauchenius tsingyensis (Lotz, 2003)
Eriauchenius vadoni (Millot, 1948)
Eriauchenius voronakely Wood, 2008
Eriauchenius workmani O. P.-Cambridge, 1881
Arachnids of the Free State Province, South Africa.
Spider (Araneae) families of the Free State Province, South Africa:
Agelenidae
Amourobiidae
Ammoxenidae
Anapidae
Araneidae
Archaeidae
Caponiidae
Chummidae
Clubionidae
Corinnidae
Ctenizidae
Cyatholipidae
Cyrtaucheniidae
Deinopidae
Dictynidae
Eresidae
Gallienielidae
Gnaphosidae
Hahniidae
Hersiliidae
Idiopidae
Linyphiidae
Liocranidae
Lycosidae
Migidae
Miturgidae
Nemesiidae
Oecobiidae
Oonopidae
Orsolobidae
Oxyopidae
Palpimanidae
Philodromidae
Pholcidae
Phyxelididae
Pisauridae
Prodidomidae
Salticidae
Scytodidae
Segestriidae
Selenopidae
Sicariidae
Sparassidae
Tetragnathidae
Theraphosidae
Theridiidae
Thomisidae
Trochanteriidae
Uloboridae
Zodariidae
Zoropsidae
Total of 50 families
Free State Spider Survey
Why are we conducting a survey?
Spiders are extremely important animals. They occur in vast numbers and are the primary predators of the equally common insects. Because they are so common, they are often encountered by people and we receive many enquiries requesting information about spiders. Many people needlessly fear spiders, as most are harmless to humans.
Despite their importance and abundance, not much is known about the spiders of the Free State. There are no truly comprehensive collections of spiders from this area, as most collectors concentrated on the eastern part of South Africa.
Spiders are often missed; they are overlooked scientifically and often despised or feared by the public. However, spiders play a critical role in the web of life we so often take for granted. More information about spiders is needed, especially those in our own backyards, if we are to ensure their future and the health of our environment.
How will the Free State Spider Survey work?
In order to conduct a large-scale survey of spiders, we need the help of the public. We request the public to collect spiders in their homes and gardens, fill out a simple data sheet about their collection and send or bring them to the National Museum. Our experts will identify the specimens, fill out a collecting record, and accession them in the collection. If requested, the identity of the spider will be sent to the collector. Spiders collected in the survey will be used to create a database about the distribution and abundance of the species. Results will be reported on the web site. Other arachnids, such as scorpions, may also be submitted.
Disclaimer: The Museum appreciates your assistance in this scientific project. If you have any concerns about participating, we suggest you do NOT participate. The Museum cannot be responsible for the treatment of bites or for any injury or illness resulting from the project.
Data Sheet
Your name:
Address where spider was collected:
Contact telephone number(s):
E-mail:
Do you want to be notified about the identity of your spider? Yes or no?
Date collected:
Time collected: AM / PM
Location: In house or outdoors?
Any other details you want us to know (e.g. under stones, on plants, in a web, etc.)
Email or send to:
Mr L.N. Lotz
Arachnology Department
National Museum
PO Box 266
Bloemfontein, 9300
Tel: +27 51 447 9609
e-mail: arachnol [at] nasmus [dot] co [dot] za
Other
Opiliones (harvestmen) – under construction
Scorpiones (scorpions) – under construction
Solifugae (sun-spiders) – under construction
Pseudoscorpiones (false-scorpions) – under construction