Taxon:
- Class: Arachnida
- Order: Araneae
- Infra-Order: Araneamorph (true spiders)
- Family: Corinnidae
- Genus: Castianeira
- Species: Castianeira sp.
Female
About 8mm in body length. Leg span of approximately 20mm diagonally.
Cephalothorax:
Carapace red-brown with faint white starburst pattern. Sternum reddish shield shape. Chelicera red with black ends. Peidpalps reddish.
Abdomen:
Abdomen oval with taper, dark with two broad lighter bands across, first anterior and second posterior. Anterior band with slightly brighter borders. Ventral greyish with two dark lines posterior and dark epigyne.
Legs:
Legs reddish brown and thin and long. 4, 1, 2, 3.
Male
Unknown.
ABOUT THE GENUS
The ant-mimic spiders of the genus Castianeira are near perfect mimics of the ant species Anoplolepis custodiens, known commonly as the crazy or pugnacious ant, what South Africans often refer to as malmiere. These spiders are often found around Micaria sp. spiders as well. Castianeira sp. is difficult to find due to this, along with their movement being very ant-like and their tendency to bob their abdomen up and down like the ant they’re mimicking does. Like other sac spiders, these will only make a sac web to retreat in due=ring the day, though this species can be found resting in abandoned tunnels or grooves under rocks and debris.
Spiders in & around Orania 