Neoscona kivuensis
| Kivu Neoscona Orb-Web Spider | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Araneomorphae |
| Family: | Araneidae |
| Genus: | Neoscona |
| Species: | N. kivuensis
|
| Binomial name | |
| Neoscona kivuensis Grasshoff, 1986[1]
| |
Neoscona kivuensis is a species of spider in the family Araneidae.[2] It is commonly known as the Kivu Neoscona orb-web spider and is an endemic species to Africa.[3]
Etymology
[edit]The species is named after the Kivu region in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where it was first described.
Distribution
[edit]Neoscona kivuensis is known from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Africa.[3]
In South Africa, the species has been recorded from three provinces: Gauteng (Irene), Northern Cape (Rooipoort Nature Reserve), and Western Cape (Karoo National Park).[3]
Habitat and ecology
[edit]The species makes orb-webs at night and removes them early in the morning. It has been sampled from the Grassland and Nama Karoo biomes.[3]
Description
[edit]![[icon]](/wiki/File:Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg?lang=en){kind=small} | This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (September 2025) |
Neoscona kivuensis is known from both sexes.[3]
Conservation
[edit]Neoscona kivuensis is listed as Least Concern by the South African National Biodiversity Institute due to its wide geographical range. There are no known threats to the species. The species is protected in Rooipoort Nature Reserve and Karoo National Park.[3]
Taxonomy
[edit]The species was described by Grasshoff in 1986 from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.[1]
References
[edit]- ^ a b Grasshoff, M. (1986). "Die Radnetzspinnen-Gattung Neoscona in Afrika (Arachnida: Araneae)". Annalen Zoologische Wetenschappen. 250: 1–123.
- ^ "Neoscona kivuensis Grasshoff, 1986". World Spider Catalog. Retrieved 21 September 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f 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-Z). South African National Survey of Arachnida Photo Identification Guide. p. 5. doi:10.5281/zenodo.6326991. Retrieved 21 September 2025.
This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.