Cangoderces lewisi
| Cango Cave Spider | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Araneomorphae |
| Family: | Telemidae |
| Genus: | Cangoderces |
| Species: | C. lewisi
|
| Binomial name | |
| Cangoderces lewisi Harington, 1951[1]
| |
Cangoderces lewisi is a species of spider in the family Telemidae.[2] It is endemic to South Africa and is commonly known as the Cango cave spider.[3]
Distribution
[edit]Cangoderces lewisi is known only from the Western Cape, at Cango Caves, Oudtshoorn.[3]
Habitat and ecology
[edit]The species inhabits caves at an altitude of 357 m above sea level. Cangoderces lewisi was collected from the Cango Caves about 700 m from the entrance, where individuals were found in space webs spun in small crevices in the rock wall about 30-40 cm above the footpath in the total dark zone of the cave.[3]
Description
[edit]![[icon]](/wiki/File:Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg?lang=en){kind=small} | This section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (September 2025) |
Conservation
[edit]Cangoderces lewisi is listed as critically rare due to having a small restricted distribution range and being recorded from only one locality. The status of the species remains obscure and more sampling is needed to determine the species range. The species is endangered because of commercial activities in the cave.[3]
Taxonomy
[edit]Cangoderces lewisi is the type species of the genus Cangoderces. The species was originally described by Harington in 1951 based on seven females collected in the Cango Caves. The male was first described by Brignoli in 1978. The species has not been revised and is known from both sexes.[3]
References
[edit]- ^ Harington, J.S. (1951). "A new leptonetid spider, Cangoderces lewisi, n. gen., n. sp., from the Cango Caves, Oudtshoorn". Annals of the Natal Museum. 12: 81–90.
- ^ "Cangoderces lewisi Harington, 1951". World Spider Catalog. Retrieved 2025-09-28.
- ^ a b c d e Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S.; Haddad, C.R.; Foord, S.H.; Lotz, L.N. (2021). The Telemidae of South Africa. Version 1. South African National Survey of Arachnida Photo Identification Guide. p. 6. doi:10.5281/zenodo.7179547.
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