Prasonica seriata

African Cucumber Orb-web Spider
	Female
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Subphylum:	Chelicerata
Class:	Arachnida
Order:	Araneae
Infraorder:	Araneomorphae
Family:	Araneidae
Genus:	Prasonica
Species:	P. seriata
Binomial name
	Prasonica seriata; Simon, 1895
Synonyms
	Spilasma africana Simon, 1903 ;

Prasonica seriata is a species of spider in the family Araneidae.^[2] It is an African endemic species commonly known as the African cucumber orb-web spider.^[3]

Distribution

Prasonica seriata is widespread in Africa, Madagascar, and the Seychelles.^[2] In South Africa, it is known from seven provinces (excluding Free State and Northern Cape).^[3]

Habitat and ecology

The species inhabits altitudes ranging from 7 to 1,902 m above sea level and has been sampled from the Savanna and Thicket biomes.^[3] Prasonica seriata constructs orb webs in low vegetation. When not active, the spider weaves a silk retreat below a leaf.^[3]

Description

female
female
female in web
female

Conservation

Prasonica seriata is listed as Least Concern by the South African National Biodiversity Institute due to its wide geographical range across Africa.^[3] The species is protected in 15 protected areas.^[3]

Taxonomy

The species was originally described by Eugène Simon in 1895 from Sierra Leone.^[3] It was later revised by Grasshoff in 1971, who synonymized Spilasma africana with this species.^[2] The species is known from both sexes.^[3]

References

^ Simon, E. (1895). "Histoire naturelle des araignées. Deuxième édition, tome premier". Roret, Paris: 794. doi:10.5962/bhl.title.51973.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Prasonica seriata Simon, 1895". World Spider Catalog. Retrieved 2025-09-27.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S.; Haddad, C.R.; Foord, S.H.; Lotz, L.N.; Webb, P. (2022). The Araneidae of South Africa. Version 2: part 3 (Ne-U). South African National Survey of Arachnida Photo Identification Guide. p. 48. doi:10.5281/zenodo.6326991. This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.

[simon1895-1] Simon, E. (1895). "Histoire naturelle des araignées. Deuxième édition, tome premier". Roret, Paris: 794. doi:10.5962/bhl.title.51973.

[wsc-2] "Prasonica seriata Simon, 1895". World Spider Catalog. Retrieved 2025-09-27.

[dippenaar2022-3] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S.; Haddad, C.R.; Foord, S.H.; Lotz, L.N.; Webb, P. (2022). The Araneidae of South Africa. Version 2: part 3 (Ne-U). South African National Survey of Arachnida Photo Identification Guide. p. 48. doi:10.5281/zenodo.6326991. This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.

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