| Buckspoor spiders | |
|---|---|
| |
| The symmetrical capture webs covering the burrow of a Seothyra fasciata female | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Araneomorphae |
| Family: | Eresidae |
| Genus: | Seothyra Purcell, 1903 |
| Type species | |
| Seothyra schreineri Purcell, 1903
| |
| Species | |
|
See text | |
| Diversity | |
| 13 species | |
Seothyra, commonly known as the buckspoor spiders, buck spoor spiders or just spoor spiders, belong to a sand-dwelling,[1] burrowing genus of araneomorph spiders in the family Eresidae. The 13 species are endemic to the arid, sandy flats and semistabilized[2] red dunes of southern Africa.[3] They are sexually dimorphic. The tiny males, which are seldom seen,[4] imitate sugar ants or velvet ants in their appearance and habits,[3][5] while the females hide in and hunt from their characteristic burrows.[6] They are thermophilous,[1] with males as well as females being most active on hot days.[3]
- ^ a b Henschel, Joh R. (December 1997). "Psammophily in Namib Desert spiders". Journal of Arid Environments. 37 (4): 695–707. Bibcode:1997JArEn..37..695H. doi:10.1006/jare.1997.0316.
- ^ Dippenaar-Schoeman, A (1990). "A revision of the African spider genus Seothyra Purcell (Araneae: Eresidae)". Cimbebasia (12): 135–160.
- ^ a b c Larsen, Norman. "Genus: Seothyra (buck spoor spiders)". biodiversity explorer. iziko museums. Retrieved 5 May 2015.
- ^ "Spinnentiere der Tirasberge: Webespinnen (Ordnung Aranae)". Naturpark Tirasberge. Retrieved 11 May 2015.
- ^ Leroy, Astri & John (2003). Spiders of Southern Africa (2nd ed.). Cape Town: Struik. pp. 28–29. ISBN 9781868729449.
- ^ Birkhofer, Klaus; Henschel, Joh; Lubin, Yael (12 May 2012). "Effects of extreme climatic events on small-scale spatial patterns: a 20-year study of the distribution of a desert spider". Oecologia. 170 (3): 651–657. Bibcode:2012Oecol.170..651B. doi:10.1007/s00442-012-2342-8. PMID 22580568. S2CID 15052876.