SANSA NEWS South African National Survey of Arachnida

Home , Amblypygi, Brigittea, Brigittea civica, Caerostris sexcuspidata, Cheiramiona, Hermippus (spider)

No. 23 JAN-JUNE 2015

Red Listing of South African Spiders

Inside this issue:

Red Listing...….….…….…...…….....1 Protected areas….……...…. ……....2 Feedback National Parks….. .……..3 KNP………..………………..…..….. .4 Legalameetse NR...……………...... 5 uMkuzhi NR……………....…..…...... 6 Wakefield………………….………....7 Lephahlale……………..…………….7 Stellenbosch……..…………………..8 Spider courses……………………. ..8 National Museum……………...…….9 Spider Club………………………....10 New taxa…………………………. 10 Virtual Museum specials…………..11 Congratulations to Tharina………..12 Participants of the Red Listing workshop. From left to right: Robin Lyle, Ansie Dippenaar-Schoeman, Domitilla Publications ……………………...... 12 Raimondo and Theresa Sethusa. Last word……………………………13 The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) was inspired by the world community's growing commitment to sustainable development. It represents a dramatic step forward in the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components, and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the use of genetic resources. The IUCN Red Listing activity is the world’s most comprehensive information source on the global conservation status of wild species and their links to livelihoods. Far more than a list of species and their status, it is a powerful tool to inform and catalyse action for biodiversity conservation, critical to protecting the natural resources we Editors and coordinators: need to survive.

Ansie Dippenaar-Schoeman & Robin Lyle Preparation for Red Data assessments ARC-Plant Protection Research Institute Private Bag X134 As part of SANSA, species data was gathered throughout the years to help with the Red Data Queenswood, 0121 assessments. In preparation for determining the conservation status of each species, a rarity index South Africa (RI) was developed based on an endemicity index (EI) and abundance index (AI). The EI (i.e. distribution of a species) included seven categories, ranging from: E-mail: [email protected] &

[email protected] 6 = endemic-known only from type locality / one locality only

Charles Haddad 5 = known from one province only, wider than type locality Department of Zoology & Entomology University of the Free State 4 = known from two adjoining provinces only P.O. Box 339 Bloemfontein, 9300 3 = South Africa >two provinces or not adjoining South Africa E-mail: [email protected] 2 = Southern Africa (south of Zambezi and Kunene Rivers) 1 = Afrotropical Region 0 = Cosmopolitan

This data was compiled based on currently known distribution data available from the literature, SA SPIDER Spider World Catalogue, and information from the SANSA database and Virtual Museum. The abundance index was an estimate of population size based on the number of collecting records COUNT known for each species in the SANSA database. It was divided into three categories: 1 – abundant, known from >10 localities; 2 – rare, known from between 4–10 localities; and 3 – very rare, only known from 3 or < localities.  JANUARY 2015 2171 spider spp. Team members of SANSA under leadership of the ARC team, along with the Threatened Species  JUNE 2015 Programme (TSP) (Dr Theresa Sethusa and Mrs Domitilla Raimondo) of the South African Nation- al Biodiversity Institute (SANBI), have spent the past two years evaluating the South African spider 2192 spider spp. species against the ICUN Categories and Criteria.

All of the 2171 species will be evaluated, and this information will be made available through an updated Atlas and Red List. The information will also feed into the species pages being generated by SANBI for the Encyclopaedia of Life.

Contact: Robin Lyle at [email protected] & Ansie Dippenaar at [email protected] SANSA NEWS 23

SANSA: PROTECTED AREAS

Inventorying and monitoring biodiversity of invertebrates in protected PAs have proven to be particularly valuable sites to SANSA, both from areas forms an integral component of assessing their performance, the perspective of encountering pristine habitat and high diversity, as and providing the information necessary for effective management. well as for the safety of survey teams. Furthermore, PA surveys pro- Invertebrates constitute the largest proportion of terrestrial and fresh- vide important data when evaluating species for Red Data listing, due water biodiversity, and serve a series of critical ecosystem functions. to confirmation of the occurrence of a species in habitats that are not Consequently, they must necessarily be considered in protected are- under immediate threat from human activities. Species inventories are as. However, inventorying and monitoring invertebrates is associated important for effective PA management and are generally considered with a series of regularly cited and well-recognised challenges, includ- to be important by PA managers, specialist taxon scientists and ecol- ing their enormous richness and diversity of habits and habitats, inad- ogists. Most of the provincial conservation agencies need this type of equate systematic and biological knowledge, and the shortage of biodiversity data for planning. In the next newsletter we will give some expertise and capacity. feedback on these surveys.

One of the objectives of SANSA is to determine the number of arachnid species presently protected in protected areas (PA) in South Afri- ca. Being a team effort, SANSA has overcome some of the problems At present, >192 PA’s are or have been surveyed in associated with invertebrate inventorying. To determine the species South Africa. These include: present in a PA is essential for the development of a Red Data list for the arachnids of South Africa, and to assist with decisions on how to  national parks successfully protect the arachnid diversity.  biosphere reserves AS many of the surveys run over 12 months or longer, these data are  botanical gardens extremely valuable since they provide substantial insight into annual  nature and game reserves and long-term trends in the diversity, abundance and distribution of the species concerned. These surveys have also made material avail-  RAMSAR sites able to taxonomists, resulting in several faunistic papers and the de-  state forests scription of many new species.  World Heritage sites

Table 1: Spider surveys in Protected Areas (PA) of South Africa

PA’S SAM- PA’S WITH >50 NO PROVINCES SURVEYS STILL TO BE PUBLISHED PA PUBLISHED PAPERS PLED RECORDS PUB EASTERN Asante Sana NR; Mountain Zebra NP; 23 13 Addo NP; Tsolwana NR 4 CAPE Mkambathi NR; Silaka NR Amanzi PR; Franklin NR (Naval Hill); Golden Gate NP; Kalkfonteindam NR; FREE STATE 14 12 3 Erfenisdam NR; Free State BG Amohela-ho-Spitskop C; Sandveld NR; Tussen-die-Riviere NR Ezemvelo NR; Faerie Glenn NR; Groenkloof NR; Kliprivierberg NR; Preto- GAUTENG 24 12 ria BG; Rietvleidam NR; Roodeplaatdam 1 Roodeplaatdam NR NR; Tswaing Crater NR; Serene Valley NR; Suikerbosrand NR Hluhluwe NR; Ndumo GR; Ngome SF; KWAZULU- Mkuze GR; iSimangolisa WP; Ithala GR; 38 24 9 Ophathe GR; Phinda GR; Spioenkop NR; NATAL Ndumo GR; Vryheid NR; Weenen NR Tembe EP Atherstone NR; Ben Lavin NR; Entabeni Blouberg NR; Nylsvley NR; Polokwane NR; Kruger National Park and Blyde NR; Kruger NP (in part); Makelali NR; LIMPOPO 41 14 River Canyon BR; Legelameetse NR 11 Mashovela NR; Sovenga Hill; Soutpans- Leopard Creek PR; Venetia Mine NR; berg C Vhembe BR; Waterberg BR Kruger NP (in part); Verloren Vallei NR; MPUMALANGA 10 2 Kruger NP; Lowveld BG; Witbank NR; 3 Bergvliet SF Kgaswane Mountain Reserve; Pilan- NORTH WEST 8 4 0 0 esberg NR Augrabies NP; Benfontein NR; Oorlog- NORTHERN 8 2 skloof NR; Oryx GF; Richtersveld NP; 0 0 CAPE Rooipoort NR; Tswalu NR

Anysberg NR; Bontebok NP; Cederberg De Hoop NR; Karoo NP; Swartberg NR; WESTERN WA; Gamkasberg NR; Kirstenbosch BG; 26 15 8 Robben Island (in part); Table Mountain CAPE Kogelberg BR; Robben Island HS; Table Mountain NP. NP (in part)

B=Biosphere Reserve; BG=Botanical Garden; C= conservancy; EP= Elephant Park; GF=Game Farm; GR=Game Reserve; HS= Heritage site; NR=Nature Reserve; NP= National Park; PR= Private Reserve; SF=State Forest; WP- Wetland park; WA= Wilderness area.

Contact: Ansie Dippenaar at [email protected] 2 SANSA NEWS 23

SANSA: PROTECTED AREAS - NATIONAL PARKS

There are presently 19 proclaimed national parks (NP) in South Africa. taxonomists, resulting in several faunistic papers and the description SANSA has registered projects in the SANParks since 1997. The of >20 new species. Only a small fraction of the parks have been sam- SANSA database contains information on 14 of these parks. For four pled intensively (Table 2) and an effort needs to be made to survey parks, namely Kruger NP (Dippenaar-Schoeman & Leroy 2003; Robert- more of them in long-term studies. The knowledge of the species pre- son et al . 2011); Mountain Zebra NP (Dippenaar-Schoeman 1988, sent in the parks is essential for the development of a Red Data list for 2006), Karoo NP (Dippenaar-Schoeman et al. 1999) and Table Moun- the arachnids of South Africa, and to assist with decisions on how to tain NP there are published surveys (Tables 1, 2). However, specimens successfully conserve the arachnid biodiversity. sampled during these surveys have also made material available to

Table 2: National parks sampled with number of families and species recorded

NO SAMPLES NO NATIONAL PARKS IN NCA NO FAMILIES SPP. SOURCE PUBLISHED SURVEYS/ REPORTS

ADDO 350 49 207 L. Wiese (SANSA) Wiese & Dippenaar-Schoeman (2014) AGULHAS no records AUGRABIES 94 26 68 E. le Roux/M de Jager SANSA database

BONTEBOK 126 37 120 E. le Roux/C. Griswold SANSA database CAMDEBOO 11 4 6 ad hoc SANSA database GARDEN ROUTE 75 28 41 rangers SANSA database GOLDEN GATE 90 12 75 NMB SANSA database KAROO 248 38 116 ad hoc Dippenaar-Schoeman et al. (1999) KGALAGADI 44 12 28 ad hoc SANSA database Dippenaar-Schoeman & Leroy (2003); Robertson KRUGER 1794 46 365 various projects et al. (2011); Reynolds (2014) MAPUNGUBWE no records MARAKELE 61 7 51 SANSA team SANSA database MOKALA no records MOUNTAIN Dippenaar-Schoeman (1988, 2006); Ruch et al. 150 34 76 ad hoc ZEBRA (2009a,b, 2012) NAMAQUA no records RICHTERFELD/ 59 14 40 ad hoc SANSA database TRANSFONTIER Picker & Samways (1996); Pryke & Samways TABLE 350 44 205 various projects (2008, 2009, 2010, 2012); Rebelo et al. (2011); MOUNTAIN Sharratt et al. (2000) TANKWA 4 2 3 ad hoc SANSA database WEST COAST no records

REFERENCES

DIPPENAAR-SCHOEMAN, A.S. 1988. Annotated check list of the spiders REBELO, T.G., FREITAG, S., CHENEY, C. & MCGEOCH, M.A. 2011. Prioritising (Araneae) of the Mountain Zebra National Park. Koedoe 31:151-160. species of special concern for monitoring in Table Mountain National Park: The chal- lenge of a species rich, threatened ecosystem. Koedoe 53 (#1019): 1-14. DIPPENAAR-SCHOEMAN, A.S. 2006. New records of 43 spider species from the Mountain Zebra National Park, South Africa (Arachnida: Araneae). Koedoe Reynolds, B.N. 2014. The effects of long-term burning regimes on savanna spider 49: 23-28. assemblages. Unpublished MSc thesis, University of Pretoria.

DIPPENAAR-SCHOEMAN, A.S. &. LEROY, A. 2003. A check list of the Robertson, M.P., Harris, K.R., Coetzee, J., Foxcrof, L., Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S. & spiders of the Kruger National Park, South Africa (Arachnida: Araneae). Van Rensburg, B.J. 2011. Assessing local scale impacts of Opuntia stricta (Cactaceae) Koedoe 46: 91-100. invasion on beetle and spider diversity in the Kruger National Park, South Africa. African Zoology 46: 205-223. DIPPENAAR-SCHOEMAN, A.S., LEROY, A., DE JAGER, M. & VAN DEN BERG, A. 1999. Spider diversity of the Karoo National Park, South Africa RUCH, J., HEINRICH, L., BILDE, T. & SCHNEIDER, J.M. 2009a. Relatedness facilitates (Arachnida: Araneae). Koedoe 42: 31-42. cooperation in the subsocial spider, Stegodyphus tentoriicola. BMC Evolutionary Biology 9: 257. PICKER, M.D. & SAMWAYS, M.D. 1996. Faunal diversity and endemicity of the Cape Peninsula, South Africa – a first assessment. Biodiversity and RUCH, J., HEINRICH, L., BILDE, T. & SCHNEIDER, J.M. 2009b. The evolution of social Conservation 5: 591–606. inbreeding mating systems in spiders: limited male mating dispersal and lack of pre- copulatory inbreeding avoidance in a subsocial predecessor. Biological Journal of the PRYKE, J.S. & SAMWAYS, M.J. 2008. Conservation of invertebrate biodiver- Linnean Society 98: 851–859. sity on a mountain in a global biodiversity hotspot, Cape Floral Region. Biodi- versity Conservation 17: 3027-3043. RUCH, J., HEINRICH, L., BILDE, T. & SCHNEIDER, J.M. 2012. Site selection and foraging in the eresid spider Stegodyphus tentoriicola. Journal of Insect Behaviour 25: 1- PRYKE, J.S. & SAMWAYS, M.J. 2009. Recovery of invertebrate diversity in a 11. rehabilitated city landscape mosaic in the heart of a biodiversity hotspot. Landscape and Urban Planning 93: 54-62. Sharratt, N.J., Picker, M.D. & Samways, M.J. 2000. The invertebrate fauna of the sandstone caves of the Cape Peninsula (South Africa): Patterns of endemism and PRYKE, J.S. & SAMWAYS, M.J. 2010. Significant variables for the conserva- conservation priorities. Biodiversity and Conservation 9: 107-143. tion of mountain invertebrates. Journal of Insect Conservation 14: 247-256. WIESE, L. & DIPPENAAR-SCHOEMAN, A.S. 2014. Spider diversity of the Addo PRYKE, J.S. & SAMWAYS, M.J. 2012. Importance of using many taxa and Elephant National Park. Abstracts of the 11th Colloquium of the African Arachnological having adequate controls for monitoring impacts of fire for arthropod conserva- Society, Amanzi Private Game Reserve, South Africa: 31. tion. Journal of Insect Conservation 16: 177-185. Contact: Ansie Dippenaar at [email protected] 3 SANSA NEWS 23

SANSA: NATIONAL PARKS FEEDBACK: KRUGER NP

The Kruger National Park (KNP) is situated in the Lowveld 2011). Another study investigated the effect of fire on spiders (Reynolds 2014). region of the Mpumalanga and Limpopo Provinces of South Three different study areas representing three savanna habitats along a rainfall Africa. It is one of the flagship parks of South Africa. The gradient were sampled where a long-term burning experiment has been in place park is 350 km long from north to south, with a surface area since 1954. The sites were at Pretoriuskop in the south, the Satara area towards of 1 948 528 ha. the centre, and the Mopani area towards the north of the reserve. Spiders were also sampled during the KNP Biodiversity survey organised by Graeme Ellis. The first checklist of spiders from the KNP was published in 2003 (Dippenaar-Schoeman & Leroy 2003), listing 152 spe- Voucher specimens of all this sampled material are housed in the National Col- cies from 40 families. lection of Arachnida (NCA) at the Plant Protection Research Institute of the Agri- cultural Research Council in Pretoria. All the material was identified and the infor- Since then, extensive sampling in the KNP took place as mation accessioned in the SANSA database. An updated species list is now part of different projects. This includes studies looking at the available, listing 386 spider species from 49 families, an increase of nine families effect of invasive weeds on spiders. Fieldwork was conduct- and 234 spp. Presently, 17% of the total of spider fauna of South Africa is protected in the Skukuza region, the area of the KNP most heavily ed in the KNP. invaded by Opuntia stricta (Harris 2013; Robertson et al.

LIST OF SPECIES NEWLY DESCRIBED FROM THE KNP

ARANEIDAE Singa albodorsata Kauri, 1950

CORINNIDAE Copuetta magna Haddad, 2013

ERESIDAE Paradonea presleyi Miller, Griswold, Scharff, Řezáč, Szűts & Marhabaie, 2012

EUTICHURIDAE Cheiramiona krugerensis Lotz, 2002

HERSILIIDAE Hersilia sagitta Foord & Dippenaar-Schoeman, 2007

LINYPHIIDAE R. GALLON Araeoncus kruegeri Simon, 1894 Ceratogyrus paulseni Tybaertiella krugeri (Simon, 1894)

PENESTOMIDAE Penestomus krugeri Miller, Griswold & Haddad, 2010

PHYXELIDIDAE Xevioso orthomeles Griswold, 1990

SALTICIDAE Langelurillus krugeri Wesołowska & Haddad, 2013 Langona tortuosa Wesołowska, 2011 Pseudicius dentatus Wesołowska & Haddad, 2013 Schenkelia modesta Lessert, 1927

SELENOPIDAE Selenops krugeri Lawrence, 1940

C.HADDAD THERAPHOSIDAE Ceratogyrus paulseni Gallon, 2005 Paradonea presleyi ZODARIIDAE Hermippus tenebrosus Jocqué, 1986

REFERENCES

DIPPENAAR-SCHOEMAN, A.S. 2005. The magnificent seven spiders of the Kruger National Park. Spider Club Newsletter 4: 4-5.

DIPPENAAR-SCHOEMAN, A.S. 2014. Welcome to my parlour. SANpark Times, June: 5.

DIPPENAAR-SCHOEMAN, A.S. & LEROY, A. 2003. A check list of the spiders of the Kruger National Park, South Africa (Arachnida: Araneae). Koedoe 46: 91–100.

DIPPENAAR-SCHOEMAN, A.S., LEROY, A. & VAN DEN BERG, A. 2002. Spinnekoppe van die Nasionale Krugerwildtuin, Suid Afrika (Arachnida: Araneae). SA Journal of Natural Science & Technology/SA Tydskrif vir Natuurwetenskap & Tegnologie 21(1): 24.

REYNOLDS, B.N. 2014. The effects of long-term burning regimes on savanna spider assemblages. Unpublished MSc thesis, University of Pretoria. Hermippus tenebrosus ROBERTSON, M.P., HARRIS, K.R., COETZEE, J.A., FOXCROFT, L.C., DIPPENAAR- SCHOEMAN, A.S. & VAN RENSBURG, B.J. 2011. Assessing local scale impacts of Opuntia Contact: Ansie Dippenaar at [email protected] stricta (Cactaceae) invasion on beetle and spider diversity in Kruger National Park, South Africa. African Zoology 46: 205–223. 4 SANSA NEWS 23

SANSA: Legalameetse Nature Reserve

Legalameetse Nature Reserve (LNR) is an 18,718-ha mountain wilder- Family Gen. Spp. Gen. Spp. ness area of protected escarpment and mountain where many of the Agelenidae 1 1 Oonopidae 2 2 prominent rivers of the Lowveld originate. In the Wolkberg Mountains, which form part of the world famous Drakensberg mountain range, the Amaurobiidae 1 2 Oxyopidae 3 8 reserve offers a diversity of fauna and flora. The Downs forms part of Araneidae 19 35 Palpimanidae 1 1 the Limpopo Province Drakensberg and offers a lovely matrix of Af- romontane grasslands and forests set in a dramatic environment of Caponiidae 1 1 Philodromidae 4 6 steep gorges and spectacular vistas. This reserve is on the escarp- Clubionidae 1 2 Pholcidae 1 1 ment of the Drakensberg, between Tzaneen and the Abel Erasmus pass, and has spectacular forest and rolling grasslands. Three surveys Corinnidae 2 2 Phyxelididae 2 4 were undertaken in the LNR. Ctenidae 1 1 Pisauridae 3 3  During a SANSA field survey in 2009 four representative habitats Cyrtaucheniidae 1 1 Salticidae 21 31 were sampled by Prof. Stefan Foord and his team. During this survey seven sampling methods - pitfalls, beating, sweeping, litter Deinopidae 1 1 Scytodidae 1 2 sifting, hand collecting, night collecting, and Winkler traps were Dictynidae 1 2 Selenopidae 1 3 used over a 6-day period.  Two surveys were undertaken by Peter Webb. The first was in Dipluridae 1 1 Sparassidae 2 2 October 2012, when he visited the reserve with the Lepsoc team Eresidae 1 1 Tetragnathidae 4 9 (see images taken in the SANSA News 17, page 11).  The second survey was undertaken in May 2015 by Peter and his Eutichuridae 2 3 Theraphosidae 1 1 wife, Laurie. Gallieniellidae 1 1 Theridiidae 12 18 All the material has been sorted and identified at the ARC, and a total of 232 species in three arachnid orders were collected during the Gnaphosidae 7 7 Thomisidae 17 32 surveys. A paper on the arachnid diversity of the LNR is currently in preparation. Hahniidae 1 1 Trachelidae 1 1 Hersiliidae 1 2 Uloboridae 4 5 Contact: Ansie Dippenaar at [email protected], Stefan Idiopidae 1 1 Zodariidae 6 9 Foord at [email protected] or Peter Webb at [email protected] Linyphiidae 1 1 147 226 Liocranidae 2 2 SCORPIONES Lycosidae 9 14 Liochelidae 1 1 Mimetidae 2 2 Buthidae 2 4 Nemesiidae 1 1 Nephilidae 2 3 OPILIONES 1 1

P. WEBB

Legalameetse Nature Reserve

P. WEBB

Palystes leroyorum

L. WEBB P. WEBB Peter Webb in action, sweeping the grassland. Thelechoris striatipes

Nest in trees 5 SANSA NEWS 23

SANSA : uMkhuze Game Reserve

The ARC-Biosystematics Arachnida Unit has been participating in Agelenidae 1 1 Philodromidae 4 5 an atlas field research programme hosted by the iSimangaliso Wetland Park. The surveys started in 2007 and were conducted in Amaurobiidae 1 1 Pholcidae 2 2 the uMkhuze section of the iSimangaliso (formerly known as the Ammoxenidae 1 1 Phyxelidae 1 2 Greater St Lucia) Wetland Park under the leadership of Xander Araneidae 20 29 Pisauridae 6 6 Combrinck. Caponiidae 2 2 Salticidae 18 26 Arachnids were collected as part of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park Corinnidae 4 4 Scytodidae 1 2 Threatened Species Project, Operation Wallacea and Wildlife & Ecological Investments. Sampling included the use of 250 pitfall Ctenidae 1 2 Segestriidae 1 1 traps at 10 different sample stations, as well as active searches, Cyrtaucheniidae 2 4 Selenopidae 2 6 sweep netting, bush beating, and searching under rocks for arachnids. Operation Wallacea (www.opwall.com) makes use of volun- Deinopidae 2 2 Sicariidae 1 1 teers, mainly undergraduate students, from UK universities but also Dictynidae 2 2 Sparassidae 4 7 school children. Carol Smith of the Spider Club led the arachnid Eresidae 3 3 Tetragnathidae 1 1 collecting part of the survey in 2008. Eutichuridae 2 4 Theraphosidae 3 3 All sampled voucher arachnid material, comprising more than 3500 Gnaphosidae 8 17 Theridiidae 10 15 specimens, has been added to the National Collection of Arachnida (NCA) in Pretoria. To date, 45 families represented by 259 species Hersiliidae 2 2 Theridiosomatidae 1 1 and 170 genera have been identified and accessioned into the Idiopidae 1 1 Thomisidae 22 47 NCA database. The spiders were the most species-rich order (252 species in 42 families). The Thomisidae is the richest in species, Linyphiidae 1 1 Trachelidae 3 3 represented by 47 spp., followed by the Araneidae with 29 spp. and Lycosidae 7 11 Uloboridae 2 2 the Salticidae with 26 spp. Migidae 1 1 Zodariidae 13 14

A final report on the diversity of the reserve was prepared in Febru- Mimetidae 1 1 166 252 ary 2015. Several species are new to science, and another three Nemesiidae 1 1 AMBLYPYGI species have recently been described with uMkhuze as their type locality. A paper on the arachnid diversity of iSimangaliso Wetland Nephilidae 2 4 Phrynichidae 1 2 Park: uMkhuze is currently in preparation. Oonopidae 2 2

Contact: Ansie Dippenaar-Schoeman at DippenaarA@arc. Oxyopidae 3 12 SCORPIONES agric.za and Xander Combrinck at combrinx@kznwildlife. com Palpimanidae 2 4 Liochelidae 3 3 Buthidae 1 2

CAROL SMITH P. WEBB

Survey teams in uMkhuze Game Reserve Crab spider, Mystaria savannensis

P. WEBB

Crab spider, Sylligma ndumi 6 SANSA NEWS 23

SANSA: DIAMOND ROUTE WAKEFIELD

Dr Rudy Jocqué of the Royal Museum for Central Africa in Tervuren, Belgium, and his wife Elizabeth, visited Wakefield from 20-25 January 2014 to sample arachnida as part of the South African National Survey of Arachnida (SANSA). They used a sweep net, beating tray, litter sieve and pittraps to sample the different habitats. Several members of the class Arachnida were sampled including a scorpion, several species of Opiliones and Pseudoscorpiones.

The spiders were the most abundant and diverse, and 25 families represented by 56 species were sampled. There was a very dense population of bark spiders (Araneidae, Caerostris sp.) present in their orb- webs between the trees. Three species of the silver vlei spiders (Tetragnathidae, Leucauge spp.) were found on the banks of the river, while members of the orb-web family Araneidae and jumping spiders (Salticidae) were sampled from the vegetation. Several very interesting ground-dwellers were sampled from the families Amaurobiidae, Corinni- dae, Gallieniellidae and Liocranidae. This is the first survey from this area, and the number of species will increase with more extensive sampling. Voucher specimens are housed in the National Collection in Pre- toria.

Contact: Rudy Jocque at [email protected]

Rudy and Elizabeth

P. WEBB P. WEBB P. WEBB P. WEBB

Caerostris sexcuspidata Leucauge festiva Kilima decens Araneus nigrocaudatus

BIO-BLITZ AT LEPHAHLALE

A second bio-blitz was recently undertaken at the farm Zan- driver in the Limpopo Province. During the first bio-blitz survey in March 2014, a total of 71 spider species were sampled and photographed by Peter Webb. The specimens were identified at the Spider Unit and accessioned in the National Collection of Arachnida (NCA). All the photographs were loaded onto the SANSA virtual museum.

The second bio-blitz took place during the weekend of 14-15 March 2015. The arachnid collection now includes members of five arachnid orders: pseudoscorpions, solifugids, scorpions, spiders and a whip spider. They were all sampled and photographed by Peter Webb. The checklist of spiders from Lephahlale has increased by 46 species, to a total of 117 species. All the material was deposited in the NCA and the photographs have been loaded onto the virtual museum.

Contact: Peter Webb at [email protected] and Ansie Dip- penaar-Schoeman at [email protected] P. WEBB Menneus camelus in action at Lephahlale

7 SANSA NEWS 23

SURVEYS UNDERWAY BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION IN PRODUCTION LANDSCAPES

Agricultural landscapes can often be complex mosaics of different land-uses and habitats that can support high levels of biodiversity. SANSA is currently involved in the identification of spiders collected as part of a study on arthropod natural enemy diversity in agricultural mosaics in the Cape Winelands. The study assesses the diversity of parasitoid wasps and predatory arthropods including spiders, ladybirds and mantids in various landscape elements, such as vine- yards, natural fynbos remnants and fallow fields. It will provide a better understanding of the value of the different parts of the mosaic as habitat for natural enemies, and will identify habitat features that influence the different natural enemy groups. Finer level identifica- tions will help provide more detailed ecological information on the arthropods. The study is part of a larger research programme on biodiversity conservation in production landscapes lead by Michael Samways, James Pryke and René Gaigher at the Department of Conservation Ecology and Entomology at Stellenbosch University.

Contact: Dr Rene Gaigher at [email protected]

Field assistant Liesel Kets sampling vegetation-dwelling natural enemies in a vineyard in Stellenbosch.

SPIDER COURSE PRESENTED TO SANPARKS HONORARY RANGERS

behaviour and identification. The course was support- ed by an 80 page full colour manual dealing with all the common spiders.

Honorary Rangers from the Western Cape have offered to sample spiders for SANSA in parks in the Western Cape.

SANParks Honorary Rangers

The SANParks Honorary Rangers is a volunteer organisation, functioning according to an official agreement with SANParks. They provide the people of South Africa the opportunity to support the national parks. The SANParks Honorary Rangers movement has a long history. Volunteers were active in the Kruger National Park as early as 1902, helping to alleviate the workload of full-time rangers, but were officially estab- lished on 5th May 1964.

Today, there are over 1,300 SANParks Honorary Rangers, all volunteers, based in 31 regions around the country and working in all 21 of our national parks, such as Kruger, SANParks Honorary Rangers attending spider Addo, Table Mountain and Kgalagadi National Parks. Members are involved on various course levels, from assisting at entry gates, raising funds for counter poaching activities, assisting in visitor management, running youth activities, and even giving specialist ad- vice on infrastructure and scientific projects. They have also provided SANParks with Contact: Ansie Dippenaar-Schoeman at Dip- more than R248.6 million in donations and volunteer support over the past 10 years, [email protected] and will continue to support our national parks.

The SANParks Honorary Rangers recently held their annual general Indaba at the Golden Gate Highlands National Park from 18-22 May 2015, celebrating their 51th anniversary. This event was attended by some >500 SANParks Honorary Rangers and senior SANParks staff. The four day Indaba was a mixture of meetings, training courses, and an opportunity to meet with other honorary rangers from across South Africa.

Ansie Dippenaar-Schoeman was invited to present an arachnid course to >40 Honor- ary Rangers. The course consisted of an afternoon course on the scorpions of South Africa, followed by two day-long courses dealing with all aspects of spider morphology,

8 SANSA NEWS 23

NATIONAL MUSEUM BLOEMFONTEIN

The Arachnology Department now has two scientists at work in the of the Free State Province and further study on the Afrotropical spe- department, Dr Leon Lotz and Mr Jan Andries Neethling. Jan Andries cies of the Sicariidae. Some new species of Sicariidae have already joined us in February and will mostly be working on Pseudoscorpi- been discovered for description. ones. At the moment, spider research is concentrated on the spiders

PSEUDOSCORPIONS OF SOUTH AFRICA

As a taxonomist the first thing you do when you want to work on a group of MURIENNE, J., HARVEY, M.S. & GIRIBET, G. 2008. First organisms is to study the available literature and get as much information on molecular phylogeny of the major clades of Pseudoscorpiones the group as possible. So, let me sum up what we know about South African (Arthropoda: Chelicerata). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evo- pseudoscorpions: with 152 described species in 17 families and with 70% of lution 49: 170-184. these species being endemic to the country, South Africa has the eighth largest diversity on the planet. Not bad considering that more than 80% of these spe- Contact: Jan Andries Neethling at cies were described by one man, Dr. Max von Beier between 1932 and 1966. [email protected] Also, that is roughly the sum of our knowledge. We sorely lack detailed biological and ecological data on most of these species, as most articles concerning the South African fauna are either brief species descriptions or species lists. Combining that with the fact that nearly all of the species were described by foreign scientists, resulting in only a few of the types being deposited in South African institutions, we are left with a very little data to work on.

To remedy this situation, a long-term project has been initiated with the aim of revising our entire South African pseudoscorpion fauna. Luckily, recent semi- nal work done by authors such as Harvey (1992) and Murienne (2008) has brought both the taxonomy and phylogenetics of the Pseudoscorpiones into the modern age. A multinational collaboration between South African institutions such as the National Museums in Bloemfontein, Cape Town and KwaZulu- Natal, the University of the Free State and the ARC-National Collection of Arachnida, and oversees institutions such as the Western Australian Museum and the Zoological Museum of Hamburg, has already resulted in the revision of the first South African family. Using a holistic approach that combined both morphological as well as molecular and distribution data, the species of Ge- ogarypidae were revised. The work is currently being prepared for publication and already the effort is paying off with the discovery of nine new species, doubling the species count within the family. Preliminary work has also been done on the second family, Gymnobisiidae, with the effort already yielding four new species to add to the two already described ones. The study hopes to produce a series of papers that aim to be the most comprehensive summary of the more than 100 years of research done on South African pseudoscorpions, and in so doing bring the taxonomy of the group into the modern era.

REFERENCES

HARVEY, M.S. 1992. The phylogeny and classification of the Pseudoscor- pionida (Chelicerata: Arachnida). Invertebrate Taxonomy 6: 1373-1435. One of the yet to be described species of Gymnobisium (Beier, 1947) from Hogsback.

SPIDER CLUB OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 40 YEARS OLD

Congratulations to the Spider Club of Southern Africa, which is 40 years old this year. A birthday party was held at the Walter Sisulu Botanical Gardens in Roodepoort in June.

Three of the original founder members were present, namely Astri and John Leroy and Ansie Dippenaar-Schoeman.

For more information on the Spider Club visit their webpage at: www.spiderclub.co.za

The birthday cake 9 SANSA NEWS 23

NEW TAXA

AT LAST, A NAME FOR THIS SPECIES

Cyrtophora petersi from Nelspruit (Photos by Peter Stephen)

In SANSA News 14:14 the following appeared: “Peter Stephen from Nelspruit has been working in citrus orchards in Malelane with many spiders present, espe- cially Nephila sp. One spider he observed has in- trigued him. It has a large (±50 cm diameter) horizontal domed web and the spider is ±50 mm long. In one case the spider used a central hanging leaf as shelter. At that stage we suspected it to be a new Cyrtophora sp. (tropical tent-web spider).

However, new data obtained by Charles Haddad, Mat- jaz Kuntner, and colleagues in Tembe Elephant Park in KwaZulu-Natal shows that it is, in fact, Cyrtophora petersi Karsch, 1878, a species described from Mozambique. This confirmed with images taken by Ian Ridell in Mozambique. Cyrtophora petersi from Mozambique (Photos by Cyrtophora petersi male and fe- Ian Ridell) male from Tembe (Photos by Charles Haddad NEW NAME FOR INVASIVE WALL SPIDER 16 NEW SPECIES OF SAC SPIDERS The small dictynid spider that was first observed on the walls of the Biosystematics building at Roodeplaat Campus in 2010 was identified In a recent revision, several new species have been added to the by Dr Yuri Marusik of Russia as Dictyna civica. This small spider genus Cheiramiona. Until now, 26 species were known for this ge- makes a star-shaped web on the outside walls, with the spiders sitting nus. The present study adds a further 23 new species, mostly from in the center of the web with silk threads radiating outwards. Their South Africa (16 species). Furthermore, the females of C. lajuma numbers increased quickly and although they were removed from the Lotz, 2002 and C. mlawula Lotz, 2002 are described for the first time. building in October 2013, they were soon back (February 2014). This The distribution of the genus is restricted to continental Africa. spider is also known as the wall spider. It probably originates from Europe or North Africa and has also been introduced into Turkey and Very little is known about the biology and behavior of these spiders, North America. It was recently removed from the synonymy of Dictyna other than an association primarily with grasses and woody vegeta- by Marusik, Esyunin & Tuneva, 2015: 135 and the species is now tion. known as Brigittea civica, another genus to add to the South African list. REFERENCE

REFERENCE LOTZ, L.N. 2015. New species of the Afrotropical spider genus Cheiramiona Lotz & Dippenaar-Schoeman (Araneae: Eutichuridae). Zootaxa 3981: 71–94. Marusik, Y. M., Esyunin, S. L. & Tuneva, T. K. (2015). A survey of Palaearctic Dictynidae (Araneae). 1. Taxonomic notes on Dictynomor- pha Spassky, 1939, Brigittea Lehtinen, 1967 and Lathys Simon, 1884. Zootaxa 3925: 129-144.

P. WEBB P. WEBB

Brigittea civica female and web P. WEBB

10 SANSA NEWS 23

VIRTUAL MUSEUM SPECIALS

A mole? No - a spider, possibly a Phoroncidia sp. (Theridiidae), photographed and sampled by Peter Webb in Umhlanga

Our first photographs of the egg sac of Pseudimocrommata longipes (Sparassidae) from Mooinooi photographed by Peter Webb

INTERESTING FEEDING BEHAVIOUR

We have now received several photographs of Mystaria spp. that hang from a silk thread while feeding. We have never seen this type of feeding before This is an interesting way to keep out of harm’s way while feeding.

Photographs by Charissa taken at Hibberdene.

Photographs by Len de Beer, taken at Inhaca (Mozambique) Photographs by Lou-Nita Roux taken at Nelspruit

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CONGRATULATIONS TO THARINA BIRD NEW PUBLICATIONS

Congratulations to Dr Tharina BIRD T., WHARTON, R. & PRENDINI, L. 2015. Cheliceral morpholo- Bird who recently completed her gy in Solifugae (Arachnida) : primary homology, terminology, and char- PhD in the USA. The result of acter survey. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History, no. her study was published in : 394:http://hdl.handle.net/2246/6593

Bird T., Wharton, R. & Prendini, HILS, J.M. & HEMBREE, D.I. 2015. Neoichnology of the burrowing L. 2015. Cheliceral morphology spiders Gorgyrella inermis (Mygalomorphae: Idiopidae) and Hogna in Solifugae (Arachnida) : prima- lenta (Araneomorphae: Lycosidae). Palaeontologia Electronica ry homology, terminology, and 18.1.7A: 1–62. character survey. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural LOTZ, L.N. 2015. New species of the spider genus Cheiracanthi- History, no. 394:http:// um from continental Africa (Araneae: Eutichuridae). Zootaxa 3973: hdl.handle.net/2246/6593 321–336.

ABSTRACT LOTZ, L.N. 2015. New species of the Afrotropical spider genus Cheiramiona Lotz & Dippenaar-Schoeman (Araneae: Eutichuridae). Arachnids of the order Solifugae Zootaxa 3981: 71–94. (solifuges, false spiders, sun spiders, camel spiders, Walzenspinne, wind spiders) possess the largest jaws for body size among the Che- POLOTOW, D., CARMICHAEL, A. & GRISWOLD, C.E. 2015. Total licerata. The chelicerae provide the most important character systems evidence analysis of the phylogenetic relationships of Lycosoidea for solifuge systematics, including dentition and the male cheliceral spiders (Araneae, Entelegynae). Invertebrate Systematics 29: 124– flagellum, both used extensively for species delimitation and diagno- 163. sis. However, the terminology used for cheliceral characters is not standardised and is often contradictory, in part because it fails to rep- ZHANG, J.X. & MADDISON, W.P. 2015. Genera of euophryine resent homologous structures among taxa. Misinterpretation of char- jumping spiders (Araneae: Salticidae), with a combined molecular- acter homology may introduce errors in phylogenetic analyses con- morphological phylogeny. Zootaxa 3938: 1–147. cerning relationships within Solifugae and among the orders of Chelic- erata. This contribution presents the first comprehensive analysis of MANUAL cheliceral morphology across the order Solifugae, the aims of which were to provide a broad survey of cheliceral characters for solifuge DIPPENAAR-SCHOEMAN, A.S. & LYLE, R. 2015. Manual to identi- systematics, to identify and reinterpret structures based on primary fy the common spider families of South Africa. SANSA communication homology, to revise the terminology to be consistent with homology 2: 73 pp. hypotheses, and to provide a guide to terminological synonyms and character interpretations in the literature.

Chelicerae were studied in 188 exemplar species (17% of the total), representing all 12 solifuge families, 17 of the 19 subfamilies, 64 genera (46% of the total), and the full range of variation in cheliceral mor- IN THE NEXT ISSUE phology across the order. In total, 157 species representing 49 genera and 17 subfamilies are illustrated. Hypotheses of character transfor- mation, particularly concerning the male flagellum, and a standardised  African Invertebrates—next issue dedicat- terminology, are presented. The functional morphology of the chelicerae is discussed, and the role of sexually dimorphic modifications to the ed to arachnids including many new spe- male chelicerae in mating behavior is emphasised. The revised termi- cies. nology, based on hypotheses of primary homology, will facilitate solifuge revisionary systematics and provide a stronger basis for recon-  Feedback on papers presented at the En- structing phylogenetic relationships within the order Solifugae and tomological and Zoological Congresses in testing the phylogenetic position of the order within Chelicerata. Grahamstown. Tharina and Chris are back in southern Africa and on their way to  Feedback on a review article on SANSA Namibia. We are very glad to have a sollie specialist available again in Africa. data management.  Spider courses presented at the ARC.

APOLOGY

We are really sorry about the delay in re- leasing the new SANSA Virtual Museum. We hope it to be operational soon. Hundreds of new and larger identified images will be available soon.

P. WEBB

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LAST WORD...

P. WEBB

“Has anybody seen my other contact lens?”