About Hyllus argyrotoxus Simon, 1902
Hyllus argyrotoxus Simon, 1902 is a medium to large-sized jumping spider (salticid) with a robust body and relatively long legs. This species shows clear sexual dimorphism: females are generally larger and more heavily built than males. Both sexes have large anterior median eyes that give them sharp binocular vision. Their body coloration is typically a contrasting mix of black, dark brown, and white or silvery markings; these markings are more distinct in males. Diagnostic features of the male palp and female epigyne have already been illustrated and described in published taxonomic literature. This species is widespread across Africa, with confirmed records in Botswana, Eswatini, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe. In South Africa specifically, it has a very broad distribution, and is found across the Eastern Cape, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North West and Western Cape provinces. Hyllus argyrotoxus is a highly mobile, plant-dwelling spider that moves openly through low vegetation and shrubs. It is most often collected from bushes and trees, rather than from ground-level habitats. Females build silken retreats on the underside of leaves, folding the leaf into a broad tube where they deposit and guard their egg sac. In South Africa, this species lives in a wide variety of biomes, including Fynbos, forest, grassland, the Indian Ocean coastal belt, savanna and thicket. It occurs at altitudes ranging from roughly 17 to 1558 meters above sea level. It has also been found in agricultural ecosystems including avocado, citrus, cotton and macadamia orchards, which shows it can tolerate human-modified habitats.
