Platyoides leppanae

Leppan's Scorpion Spider
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Infraorder: Araneomorphae
Family: Trochanteriidae
Genus: Platyoides
Species:
P. leppanae
Binomial name
Platyoides leppanae
Pocock, 1902[1]
Synonyms
List
  • Platyoides lawrencei Lessert, 1936

Platyoides leppanae is a species of spider in the family Trochanteriidae. It is found in Mozambique, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, and South Africa.[2]

Distribution

The species has a wide distribution across southern and eastern Africa. In South Africa, Platyoides leppanae is found in three provinces: Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, and Western Cape, at elevations ranging from 15 to 1,551 m above sea level.[3]

Habitat

Platyoides leppanae inhabits multiple biomes including Fynbos, Grassland, Nama Karoo, Savanna, and Thicket. At Ndumo Game Reserve, specimens were collected from the bark of Vachellia xanthophloea. Like other scorpion spiders, it is a free-living wanderer adapted for life in narrow crevices.[3]

Description

Both males and females of Platyoides leppanae are known to science. The carapace and chelicerae are deep blackish brown, while the legs are testaceous (brownish-yellow). The opisthosoma appears ashy or creamy white in alcohol, with a broad marginal black band and a median black stripe that narrows posteriorly.[3]

Conservation

The species is listed as Least Concern due to its wide geographical range. In South Africa, it is protected in several reserves including Mountain Zebra National Park, Addo Elephant National Park, Ndumo Game Reserve, and De Hoop Nature Reserve.[3]

References

  1. ^ Pocock, R.I. (1902). "Descriptions of some new species of African Solifugae and Araneae". Annals and Magazine of Natural History. 7. 10 (55): 6–27. doi:10.1080/00222930208678627.
  2. ^ "Platyoides leppanae Pocock, 1902". World Spider Catalog. Retrieved 20 September 2025.
  3. ^ a b c d Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S.; Haddad, C.R.; Foord, S.H.; Lotz, L.N. (2022). The Trochanteriidae of South Africa. Version 2. South African National Survey of Arachnida Photo Identification Guide. Irene. pp. 1–18. doi:10.5281/zenodo.6659336. This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.
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