About Stegodyphus dumicola Pocock, 1898
This species has the scientific name Stegodyphus dumicola Pocock, 1898. Members of the Stegodyphus genus have a tough carapace, with white hairs covering the body. Male Stegodyphus spiders have dark borders and narrow white bands running along the abdomen, while females have dark longitudinal bands along the abdomen. Spiders of this genus vary in body length, typically falling between 2.3 and 3.5 mm. Like other velvet spiders, the anterior region of the prosoma is raised and convex, sloping down toward the posterior. This feature is more prominent in adult males than in females, and develops once the spider matures past early instars. Stegodyphus dumicola is found in southwestern regions of Africa. The spider is common across most areas of Namibia, with the exception of the Namib Desert. It specifically lives in mesic to semi-arid woodlands within hot, dry thornbush country. In savanna areas, the temperature inside the species' nests can exceed forty degrees Celsius. In South Africa, the species inhabits all biomes except the Desert biome, occurring at altitudes ranging from 7 to 1,758 m above sea level. Documented notable locations for the species in South Africa include Kruger National Park, Karoo National Park, Table Mountain National Park, and Tswalu Kalahari Reserve.
