Jumping spiders (Araneae: Salticidae) of the Ndumo Game Reserve, Maputaland, South Africa
Author
Wesolowska, Wanda
Author
Haddad, Charles R.
text
African Invertebrates
2009
2009-06-30
50
1
13
103
journal article
2305-2562
Stenaelurillus natalensi
s
Haddad & Wesolowska, 2006
Fig. 249
Stenaelurillus natalensis
:
Haddad & Wesolowska 2006: 580
, figs 22–36.
See
Haddad & Wesolowska (2006)
for description of both sexes. General appearance of male in
Fig. 249
.
Material examined: 2ơ Airfield,
26
°
54.865'S
:
32
°
17.896'E
, broadleaf woodland, leaf litter,
6.xii.2005
(
NMSA
21877); 1^same locality, under rocks,
12.i.2007
(
NCA
2007/3064); 1^Crocodile Farm,
26
°
54.426'S
:
32
°
19.185'E
, broadleaf woodland, on ground in thick grass,
2.vii.2003
(
NMSA
21878); 1ơ same locality, leaf litter,
5.vii.2003
(
NMSA
21879);
2^1 imm.
same locality, on ground near termite galleries,
15.vi.2005
(
NCA
2006/674); 2ơ Main Camp,
26
°
54.581'S
:
32
°
18.798'E
, broadleaf woodland, leaf litter,
26.i.2006
(
NMSA
21880);
2^2 imm.
same locality, leaf litter near termite galleries,
26.i.2006
, C. Haddad &
R
. Lyle (
NCA
2006/680); 2ơ
8 imm.
Near
NRC
picnic site,
A.tortilis
savannah,
26
°
52.742'S
:
32
°
11.088'E
,grassy leaf litter near
Odontotermes
mound,
23.vi.2005
(
NCA
2006/679); 1^Near Nyamiti Bird Hide, Pongola
R
. floodplain, Ezikebheni,
26
°
53.362'S
:
32
°
18.892'E
, pitfall traps,
15–25.i.2006
, C. Haddad &
R
. Lyle (
NCA
2008/1876); 2ơ 3^Near Vulture Restaurant,
26
°
53.376'S
:
32
°
18.703'E
, subtropical bush,under logs,
19.vi.2006
, C.Haddad & F.Jordaan (
NCA
2006/1275); 2ơ Red Cliffs,
26
°
51.164'S
:
32
°
12.365'E
, subtropical bush, near termite mound,
17.vi.2005
(
NMSA
21881);
1^8 imm.
26
°
52.464'S
:
32
°
16.050'E
, subtropical bush,
A. nigrescens
woodland, on sand near
Odontotermes
termite mound,
17.vi.2005
(
NCA
2006/675); 2ơ
3 imm.
same locality, in semi-shade, branches near termite galleries,
18.vi.2005
(
NCA
2006/676); 1ơ
1 imm.
26
°
52.475'S
:
32
°
15.972'E
, subtropical bush,
A. nigrescens
woodland, in semi-shade, near
Odontotermes
termite mound,
18.vi.2005
(
NCA
2006/677);
5 imm.
5ơ
26
°
52.398'S
:
32
°
16.082'E
, subtropical bush,
A. nigrescens
woodland, on
Odontotermes
termite mound,
18.vi.2005
(
NCA
2006/678); 1ơ
26
°
52.371'S
:
32
°
13.363'E
, subtropical bush, Mahemane thicket,
Odontotermes
termite mound and nearby leaf litter,
15.vi.2005
(
MRAC
218447); 2ơ 2^same data (
MRAC
218448); 1ơ
7 imm.
26
°
51.908'S
:
32
°
14.458'E
, Subtropical bush, Mahemane thicket, leaf litter near
Odontotermes
mound,
15.vi.2005
(
NCA
2006/673).
Distribution: Known only from two sites in Maputaland,
South Africa
.
Habitat and biology: The natural history of this species was studied in detail by
Haddad and Wesolowska (2006)
, and can be summarised as follows. This species was very common in the immediate vicinity of
Odontotermes badius
termite mounds and foraging galleries in leaf litter near mounds, although they very rarely entered the chimneys. Individuals were active 1–2 hours after sunrise until an hour before sunset, predominantly in savannah and thicket habitats with sandy soils and receiving direct sunlight for most of the day. Depending on the season, between 19–24 % of the specimens observed had
O. badius
prey in their chelicerae (
Fig. 249
). No other prey was taken in the field. Termites were captured while foraging in leaf litter, while repairing their galleries and/ or the mound structure, or where galleries were damaged and termites were exposed to the outside environment. Prey capture involved the observation and identification of prey from as much as
15 cm
away, followed by a series of short runs and jumps before prey was attacked. Several bites were inflicted by immatures, who dragged their prey away once paralysed.Adults often only inflicted a single bite and immediately dragged their prey away.